Roman Trumpe l'oeil

Roman Trumpe-l'œil is a series of photomontages merging photos of the US Trump administration with photos of Roman sculptural portraits. This series is based on J. Schneider-Lengyel photos of 1st-3rd-century Roman sculptures published in the book “Roman Portraits" - 1945 Phaidon Edition. Lengyel’s highly skilled use of chiaroscuro lighting captures the dimensionality and naturalism of Roman sculptures. These tightly cropped photos include US President Donald Trump, members of his administration, family, and people associated with the Trump administration. These hybrid living sculptures are a surreal alternative in which to consider the Trump administration apart from the daily stream of media images we are bombarded with. Inside these imperial faces staring stonily back at us are human beings vulnerable to their own weaknesses and cravings for immortal power. They are also statues inside a ruined temple.