SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
![Everything Is [Not] Fine: Half-Submerged Trump Head, Says Artist, Designed to Silence Destructive Words and Deeds of US President](https://www.commondreams.org/media-library/a-picture-taken-on-july-5-2019-shows-the-installation-everything-is-fine-depicting-the-half-submerged-head-of-us-president-do.jpg?id=32148388&width=1200&height=400&quality=90&coordinates=0%2C86%2C0%2C96)
A picture taken on July 5, 2019 shows the installation "Everything is fine" depicting the half submerged head of US President Donald Trump by Jacques Rival, architect, displayed in the Moselle river as part of the digital art festival "Constellations de Metz" in Metz, eastern France. (Photo by Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/AFP/Getty Images)
Everything Is [Not] Fine: Half-Submerged Trump Head, Says Artist, Designed to Silence Destructive Words and Deeds of US President
"The idea was to gag Trump, to silence him, but he continues to speak."
Jul 05, 2019
An art installation that includes President Donald Trump's head half submerged in a French river, according to the artist behind the project, is designed to help remind people of the U.S. president's ongoing threat to the world.
The installation, titled "Everything Is Fine," is a project of artist Jacques Rival and also features a large inflated Trump head and hand held up in the "OK" finger sign as a garbled version of a recording of the president's 2017 speech announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate accord plays. The installation, which will be publicly viewable until September 7 as part of city-wide festival, will be lit up at night, Rival told AFP.
The public can press on a buzzer located on a platform near the Pont des Roches bridge that will either start or stop the speech.
The intent of the piece is to show that Trump will continue, obliviously, to talk even as the consequences of his behavior become impossible for the rest of the world to ignore.
"The idea was to gag Trump, to silence him, but he continues to speak, very sure of himself," Rival told AFP.
The work is "also a modest message sent to President Trump to tell him how his positions and his anti-ecological stances are dangerous for the whole world," said Hacene Lekadir, deputy director of culture for the city of Metz.
Rival's piece is part of the Constellations de Metz digital arts festival, which runs from June 20 to September 7.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
An art installation that includes President Donald Trump's head half submerged in a French river, according to the artist behind the project, is designed to help remind people of the U.S. president's ongoing threat to the world.
The installation, titled "Everything Is Fine," is a project of artist Jacques Rival and also features a large inflated Trump head and hand held up in the "OK" finger sign as a garbled version of a recording of the president's 2017 speech announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate accord plays. The installation, which will be publicly viewable until September 7 as part of city-wide festival, will be lit up at night, Rival told AFP.
The public can press on a buzzer located on a platform near the Pont des Roches bridge that will either start or stop the speech.
The intent of the piece is to show that Trump will continue, obliviously, to talk even as the consequences of his behavior become impossible for the rest of the world to ignore.
"The idea was to gag Trump, to silence him, but he continues to speak, very sure of himself," Rival told AFP.
The work is "also a modest message sent to President Trump to tell him how his positions and his anti-ecological stances are dangerous for the whole world," said Hacene Lekadir, deputy director of culture for the city of Metz.
Rival's piece is part of the Constellations de Metz digital arts festival, which runs from June 20 to September 7.
An art installation that includes President Donald Trump's head half submerged in a French river, according to the artist behind the project, is designed to help remind people of the U.S. president's ongoing threat to the world.
The installation, titled "Everything Is Fine," is a project of artist Jacques Rival and also features a large inflated Trump head and hand held up in the "OK" finger sign as a garbled version of a recording of the president's 2017 speech announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate accord plays. The installation, which will be publicly viewable until September 7 as part of city-wide festival, will be lit up at night, Rival told AFP.
The public can press on a buzzer located on a platform near the Pont des Roches bridge that will either start or stop the speech.
The intent of the piece is to show that Trump will continue, obliviously, to talk even as the consequences of his behavior become impossible for the rest of the world to ignore.
"The idea was to gag Trump, to silence him, but he continues to speak, very sure of himself," Rival told AFP.
The work is "also a modest message sent to President Trump to tell him how his positions and his anti-ecological stances are dangerous for the whole world," said Hacene Lekadir, deputy director of culture for the city of Metz.
Rival's piece is part of the Constellations de Metz digital arts festival, which runs from June 20 to September 7.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.