An artist has been threatened with legal action over her nude painting of US presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Illma Gore‘s portrait Make America Great Again, which is currently on display at Maddox Gallery, London, depicts the Republican candidate with a tiny penis.
The Guardian reports that the work has attracted multiple bids of over £100,000, yet Gore is being threatened anonymously with legal action should the sale go through.
Speaking to Hyperallergic, Gore said she was not concerned: “It’s artwork. I think the lawyers who are preparing the case are all confident because it’s a unique idea, it’s standing alone, it’s not just his face. So we’re all really confident that there won’t be any repercussions.”
The LA-based artist plans to allow the sale to go through, donating a portion of the profits to the homeless youth charity Safe Place for Youth.
Cordelia de Freitas, Maddox gallery director, told the Guardian: “It only really got out of hand when Donald Trump referenced it in a debate, which sums up Trump and his ego. From there, everyone wanted to see this image.”
Since the image went viral in February after being published on her Facebook page, Gore has been censored on social media sites, temporarily blocked from posting on Facebook and delisted from eBay after the anonymous filing of a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice threatening to sue her.
Gore remains undeterred. “The reaction, especially in the UK, has been incredibly supportive. Everywhere apart from America has been great. Who knew it would be such a big deal? I think an artist’s job is to take the times we’re living in and then set the scene. It is a representation of where we are.”
Images:
Illma Gore with her portrait Make America Great Again, 2016
Illma Gore, Make America Great Again, 2016
