Chinese artist cashes in on Buddha-like Trump statues
XIAMEN, CHINA—Donald Trump is not typically known for his calm or reserve, but in a craftsman’s workshop in rural China the US president-elect sits in divine contemplation.
Cross-legged with his eyes half-closed in a pose evoking the Buddha, this porcelain version of America’s leader-in-waiting is the work of designer and sculptor Hong Jinshi.
The Zen-like figures—which Hong sells for between 999 and 20,000 yuan (about $140 to $2,700) depending on their size—first went viral in 2021 on the e-commerce platform Taobao, attracting national headlines.
And ahead of the real estate magnate’s inauguration for a second term, they have become hot property again.
“In the days after he won the election there was a lot of interest,” said Hong, who originally designed the statues as a joke.
“Politicians are normally so boring, while (Trump) is this massive online figure who often says fantastical things,” he told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Hong, 47, estimates that he has shifted hundreds of the ceramic creations in the last few years.
They raise a smile among customers because Trump’s “personality and the shape of the statue are two opposite extremes,” he said.
Each figure comes in packaging emblazoned with a Chinese phrase that translates to “Make your company great again,” a play on Trump’s well-worn slogan for restoring American supremacy.
Copycat versions have even appeared on shopping platforms in the United States —including Amazon and Chinese-owned Temu—or up to $45.
Little rocket man
“It’s a good laugh to poke some fun at authority figures and famous people,” said Hong, sitting barefoot on the floor of his minimalist studio.
Hong’s loose white clothing, shaved head and softly spoken nature bear little resemblance to the eccentric subjects of his sculpting.
He recently began designing a similarly tongue-in-cheek effigy of another American luminary: Trump backer Elon Musk, who seems set to play a major role in his administration.
