Two politically charged statues have appeared in Washington, D.C., sparking public interest and discussion just days before the election, according to CNN.
One statue, a bronze replica of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk topped with a large, emoji-style poop, was placed near the Capitol along the National Mall last week. The other, a bronze tiki torch statue titled The Donald J. Trump Enduring Flame, was set up at Freedom Plaza, close to the White House, on Monday. Both works appear to critique past actions of former President and current Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The plaque below the Pelosi desk sculpture reads, “This memorial honors the brave men and women who broke into the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021, to loot, urinate and defecate … in order to overturn an election,” a reference to the Capitol insurrection on that day. The work sarcastically calls these individuals “unbelievable patriots” and “warriors,” mirroring Trump’s past praise for the rioters. The sculpture, titled The Resolute Desk, has been described as symbolizing the resilience of democratic principles, though its nameplate has gone missing since the statue was unveiled.
The tiki torch statue, placed in Freedom Plaza, recalls Trump’s defense of individuals who participated in the violent 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville. Its plaque references Trump’s controversial comment about the marchers as “very fine people” and notes that, while white supremacists attended the protest, Trump had argued they were “treated absolutely unfairly.”
The artist or artists behind these works remain anonymous, though a permit request submitted by Civic Crafted LLC and Julia Jimenez-Pyzik was approved by the National Park Service. Jimenez-Pyzik, according to the Washington Post, worked as a producer on the 2020 film Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Jimenez-Pyzik told the Post that her work on the Borat film had “absolutely nothing to do with” the sculptures and that she “helped get the permit for the statue on the National Mall, but that’s really my only involvement.”
Visitors and locals have gathered at the statues, which have gotten significant media attention. Maryland resident Grace Denman told CNN that she found the statues “thought-provoking,” while D.C. resident Paige Muller described them as a “great reminder of what’s at stake.” Others, however, viewed them as inappropriate, Muller said.
Both statues are temporary and are scheduled for removal before Election Day, with the Pelosi desk statue slated to be taken away on Wednesday and the tiki torch statue on Thursday.
