Tiny Trump, A Nationwide Crowdsourced Art Installation Transforming People Into Activists, One Tiny Act Of Resistance At A Time

In 2016 Trump claimed “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters,” at a rally. At the time, both the statement and the fact Trump could be elected as president seemed absurd. Four years of countless shocking statements and actions later, we are faced with another election. While the majority of Americans disapprove of the authoritarian and divisive tones emanating from the White House, many people feel powerless to stop it and remain largely inactive. This is why artist Eric Corriel in 2017 created tiny trump, a three inch tall cardboard protest sticker, which transforms a wide-ranging demographic into activists, one tiny act of resistance at a time. In three years time, tiny trump has grown into one of the largest participatory crowdsourced public art installations.

tiny trump, flips the script on the larger than life persona Trump projects to the world by minimizing him, literally. Standing at 3-inches, the tiny trump cardboard protest sticker is small, but carries a big message. Each tiny trump captures a different aspect of Trump’s presidency and personality, ranging from Fake News to I ❤️ KIDS in Cages, to Pussy Grabber. There are 60 messages in all. The power of tiny trump comes not from the object itself but from public participation, turning people into activists who place mini protest signs in the world, creating political and cultural commentary through public tableaux which are shared on social media, @maketrumptiny.

“Every day of the Trump presidency has felt like my house is on fire. As an artist who has worked in the public realm for over a decade, I know how powerful publicly visible, eye-catching statements can be. They subconsciously crawl into people’s brains, influence opinions, and can end up swaying the zeitgeist,” said artist Eric Corriel. “Given the times we live in, I cannot think of a more important job for art to do than to give people the power to push back against the authoritarian, tribalistic, and corrosive values coming from the White House and pervading our political and cultural landscape. tiny trump, gives people a tangible and public way to resist”

Through tiny trump, Corriel has transformed the disheartened, inactive American public into passionate activists. Since the project started, tiny trump has gained traction with over 5,000 participants nationally and internationally. All 50 states are represented, with some of the highest number of participants in swing states such as Florida and Wisconsin and traditionally red states such as Texas. By using Trump’s own words and policies, the project politically engages the public and empowers participants by giving them a publicly visible and meaningful way to push back, resist, and collectively say “this is not okay! He is NOT our president!”

Enjoy+Resist #tinytrump

More info: maketrumptiny.com