Artists Respond to 2016 Political Upheavals Through Subversive Exhibitions and Works

In December 2016, an online exclusive reflected on artworld responses to political events like Donald Trump's election and Brexit. David Hammons staged a career survey at Mnuchin Gallery, owned by former Goldman Sachs executive Robert Mnuchin, with his son Steve Mnuchin nominated as Treasury Secretary. The exhibition echoed Hammons' 1983 Bliz-aard Ball Sale in Cooper Square, critiquing capital exchange. Grayson Perry commented on Trump and Brexit, noting shocking thrills. Raúl Zurita presented Sea of Pain at the Kochi Biennale, featuring a seawater installation dedicated to Galip Kurdi, brother of Alan Kurdi, requiring visitors to wade through ankle-high water. The piece addressed the Syrian crisis. Critics like Jerry Saltz and references to W.H. Auden and Donna Haraway framed the discourse. The artworld positioned itself against repression and nativism, with hopeful outlooks for 2017.