To coin a frame: A portrait of Trump, made from pennies CNN: President Donald Trump became famous as financial success incarnate. Now, there's a seven-foot-tall portrait of the President literally made from money. Green and his partner, Daria Marchenko, recently made headlines with their portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin made from bullet shells used in the Ukraine conflict. That portrait recently went on display in New York as part of an exhibition called "The Five Elements of War." Green told CNN the idea for the Trump portrait was sparked in August, when the US President thanked Putin for expelling US diplomats, saying he had saved America a lot of money. He also talked about saving America money when he pulled out of the Paris climate accord. "He only talks about money. We have bigger problems like nuclear war and climate change. To me, it looks like he is rich but he is cheap," Green said. The portrait of Trump took three months to make -- half the time of the Putin portrait -- as the coins were easier to work with than bullet shells. They used heat to bring out varying degrees of color in the coins, mixed with paint for Trump's famous hair. They used casino chips for his jacket, a reflection of Trump's past as a casino magnate -- and his penchant for being a risk-taker. Reaction to the portrait has been mixed. The Ukraine Institute in New York that is currently hosting the "Five Elements of War" exhibition said it is refusing to display the Trump portrait for fear of political reprisal. Other galleries have had a similar response, the duo said. They plan to showcase both portraits of Putin and Trump in an exhibition in Las Vegas in May. Asked if they would sell their portrait of Trump to the man himself, Daria says: "If he would be so brave to look at himself from different angles ... that would be progress."
© Даша Марченко, 2024