Art & Language and Jackson Pollock Bar Perform Trump Portrait at Montsoreau
On April 8, 2026, the Jackson Pollock Bar joined forces with Art & Language at the Château de Montsoreau-Musée d'art contemporain for the event 'Art & Language Paints a Picture II,' inspired by a script from 2017 authored by Michael Baldwin. Baldwin, along with Mel Ramsden, a member of Art & Language who passed away in 2024, contributed to the performance. Actors Martin Horn and Jan Gregor Kremp created a portrait of Trump by using brushes held in their mouths. The event featured dialogues on cultural appropriation and artistic norms, culminating in the defacement of the portrait. This performance was part of the 'Art & Language: Portraits' exhibition, which will be on display until June 30, 2026. The collaboration between Art & Language and the Jackson Pollock Bar spans over thirty years.
Key facts
- Performance took place on April 8, 2026, at Château de Montsoreau-Musée d'art contemporain.
- The performance was based on a 2017 script by Michael Baldwin.
- Art & Language members at the time were Michael Baldwin and Mel Ramsden (died 2024).
- Actors Martin Horn and Jan Gregor Kremp performed the piece.
- They painted a portrait of Donald Trump using brushes clenched between their teeth.
- The performance was part of the exhibition 'Art & Language: Portraits' (until June 30, 2026).
- The Jackson Pollock Bar was founded by Christian Matthiessen.
- The final act involved defacing the portrait with black paint.
Entities
Artists
- Art & Language
- Michael Baldwin
- Mel Ramsden
- Charles Harrison
- Christian Matthiessen
- Martin Horn
- Jan Gregor Kremp
- Max Gebele
Institutions
- Château de Montsoreau-Musée d'art contemporain
- Jackson Pollock Bar
- Documenta
- ZKM Center for Art and Media
- Getty Center
- Fundacio Antoni Tapies
Locations
- Montsoreau
- Loire Valley
- France
- Freiburg
- United States
Sources
- artpress —