Aria Watson

"I never really cared for or understood politics, but this year was different. Although I was two weeks too young to actually vote, I was old enough to see what was happening and learn about it. I don't know why Donald Trump is in office, or how this even happened, but he is. What we need more than ever is to come together. We are stronger together."

Aria Watsons series #SignedByTrump was created due to her frustration about being too young to vote during the presidential election. Resulting from this disappointment she collected misogynist and offensive statements made by Donald Trump which had become public during his candidature. As a result of her inability to make her voice heard and her vote count, she decided to paint his statements on naked female bodies, creating a smart feminist commentary on the current political atmosphere in the United States.

Aria Watson not only pictures the atrocities Trump said about women in a visually consequent manner but also draws attention to the paradox of people - especially women - still supporting the candidate after his more than dubious and objectifying statements. The angry white male seems to be in the position to get away with just about any transgression, as Watson points out: "As a proud feminist, hearing Trump say 'grab them by the pussy' and talk about how he could do anything he wanted made me absolutely sick. Women are not objects. The fact that he said this and other things like this, but still won, scares me."

The series #SignedByTrump will be on view at Art Cologne this April.

Aria Watson currently lives in Montana. She was born and raised in Oregon.