A Grand Old Tree

Christof D.'s "A Grand Old Tree" is his first and only work addressing contemporary political issues. The title plays on the phrase "Grand Old Party" (GOP) which is synonymous with the Republican party. That nickname first entered the Congressional Record in 1875 and referred to Lincoln's successful military defence of the Union during the Civil War. Christof pays homage to this history by representing the party as an old tree with deep roots with few peers in the scene. But 'grand' it is not, according to Christof. Simulating an enraged chimpanzee, the tree hurls its excrement towards the viewer. These faeces, represented by bold red, green and yellow shapes, have polluted the atmosphere we breathe. The orange head of the tree is a clear premonition of Donald Trump and his cheap perma-tan. Not all are offended, however. Near the tree, we see a gleeful man with a cartoonish smile on his face and extra-large gloves eager to catch the debris emanating from the party. But he largely misses out. Here Christof is noting that Trump's wrath is generally directed at other elites, much higher than the common man he claims to serve. The commentary suggests that Trump selfishly uses these working-class people as shields and decorations in his fight. Trump does hit the mark with Liberal elites, however, denoted by flying, manure-smeared bugs annoyingly flying around the tree. Christof plays no political favourites here, representing the bugs variously with dunce caps or as various insects. The bees are figuratively in Trump's bonnet, as denoted by the squiggly line in the centre of the orange sphere. Junior, less elite bugs, crawl instinctively towards the tree, unable to just walk away. They can only hope some Trump droppings land on them, elevating them in status among their peers. Amid the chaos, the grass is still green and the sky remains blue. This is Christof's positive message to humanity, to look back from the tree and enjoy the proverbial forest. Nature endures.