Sales of these statuettes of the president-elect are on the rise, despite the harshness of the president-elect's speech on Beijing.
Serenity and calm are rarely the first words that come to mind to describe Donald Trump. However, in this workshop of a Chinese craftsman, it is indeed the American president-elect who sits cross-legged, immersed in divine meditation.
This porcelain version of the Republican billionaire transformed into Buddha is the work of designer and sculptor Hong Jinshi. These figurines, sold between 140 and 2,600 euros depending on their size, caused a sensation in 2021 on Tabao, a Chinese online commerce platform.
“Renewed interest in the days following his election”
As the real estate mogul's second inauguration on January 20 approaches, they are once again highly coveted. “There was a surge of interest in the days following his election”explains to AFP Hong Jinshi, who initially created these statues in a joke tone. The 47-year-old artist says he has sold hundreds of them in recent years. They amuse buyers, because “Trump’s personality and the appearance of the statue are radically opposed”he adds.
Each figure is packaged in a package with Mandarin writing on it “Make your business great again” – a nod to Donald Trump's famous slogan «Make America Great Again». Copies have even appeared on sales platforms in the United States, such as Amazon and Temu, at prices rising up to 40 euros.
“It’s always fun to make fun of authority figures and famous people a little”assures Hong Jinshi, sitting barefoot on the floor of his minimally decorated workshop. With a shaved head and speaking in a soft voice, dressed in loose white clothes, the artist contrasts with the eccentric subjects of his sculptures.
The sculptor recently designed an equally ironic effigy of another controversial American figure: Elon Musk, a supporter of Donald Trump expected to play an important role in the new administration. The billionaire was transformed into Iron Man, the Marvel superhero, dressed in imposing metallic armor. But in Mr. Hong's version, a large rocket emerges from Musk's crotch, a symbol of the SpaceX boss's galactic ambitions.
Despite his approach oscillating between homage and provocation, Mr. Hong claims to have a lot of admiration for Elon Musk, whose electric vehicle company Tesla, very popular in China, operates a huge factory in Shanghai. “Musk's rockets are incredible: he has dramatically reduced their cost”he says. “He accomplished, as an entrepreneur, what an entire country cannot even do”.
«I think he's still funny»
Hong Jinshi, however, refuses to comment on Donald Trump's policy towards China, a sensitive subject in a country where freedom of expression remains muzzled. During his campaign, the Republican candidate adopted a tough stance against Beijing, promising for example to increase customs duties on Chinese imports.
Donald Trump has also angered Chinese leaders with rhetoric holding Beijing responsible for the decline of American industry or systematically calling Covid-19 a “Chinese virus”. But the septuagenarian politician also has many admirers in China. “I think he’s still as funny as before.”assure Hong Jinshi. “When he’s president, there are funny stories every day.”
Despite their success, the Hong Jishi statuettes are no longer available on the Chinese internet, the advertisements having been removed. The works may have been considered offensive by Buddhists, he believes. But orders continue to come in from tourists passing through his workshop, or through friends and acquaintances. His explanation: “Trump is a personality with many stories”.
