Existing comment:
"VERY STABLE GENIUS"
6 JAN 2018 - 7:19 AM, 7:27 AM, 7:30 AM
MEDIUM: TWITTER FOR IPHONE
DIMENSIONS: 414 CHARACTERS
Among Western art's proudest traditions is the psychologically probing self-portrait. We think of Van Gogh's oils speaking deeper emotional truths than words ever could. We think of Rembrandt bearing humble witness to his, and our, tragic mortality. And now we think of Donald Trump, whose stunning Twitter triptych "Very Stable Genius" dared to express his truth, even when he had ample reason to think literally no one would believe him. Along with that 1970s hotel-bed bathrobe photo, it is Trump's bravest work of self-exposure.
The work unfolds across three panels. The first comprises a brisk, classicist "hoax/lapdog/Fake News" dismissal narrative. Then Trump swivels to the cautionary tale of Crooked Hillary Clinton, whose impudent questioning of his, like, really smartness led to her fiery demise. The work now transfigures into almost pointillist autobiography, as powerful mogul metamorphosizes into world leader (on first try). But it is Trump's third-panel conclusion that still amazes -- a statement of self-identity so bold, so definitive, it has forever redefined the concepts of "stable," and "genius," and probably even "very." |