**THIS PAINTING WAS SOLD IN DUBAI IN MAY 2015 : PRICE LISTED IS RE-SALE VALUE UP UNTIL 1st DECEMBER 2020 SERIOUS ENQUIRIES ONLY - IN THE MEANTIME, ENJOY THE STORY**
This well timed re-sale of Top Trumps, Donald at the request of the Dubai based owner who purchased the work in early 2015. Now that the original Artwork featuring the signed $2 bill of the 45th president of The United States of America is available, it's important I share the full back story here, both sides of the coin, if you will, grab a cuppa-whatever-you-like and enjoy the read....
18th May 2014 : Donald Trump having signed both $2 and $1 bills
He's a little bit older but aside from the fake tan, bright white teeth and hair extensions you can barely tell us apart. Anyway enough about me I wanted to share the reason why I got the Donald to sign the $, there are, several in fact...
May 2014
Donald Trump was over in Dubai launching his Trump International resort, Akoya by DAMAC....
where during the Press launch he literally launched a golf ball off the first tee a good 260 yards, in full suit and red tie....
Later that day I headed to the owners / early investors dinner at The Atlantis Hotel, Palm island where, after 2 hours of waiting I managed to follow his entourage in where, before taking his seat my Tunisian TV reporter who I'd invite along approached him and practically insisted he 'signed the $1 bill for my Artist friend'...
Although it was a good 11 months away I was in the midst of planning my Heroes & Villains exhibition that aim to explore both sides of the coin, extremes of life, society and money in a land of 'Haves' and 'Have nots'.
What better than to get the signed $1 / $2 of a man, who at the time, was a businessmen emulating what was possible in America, the land of opportunity, in the deserts of Dubai, another land of opportunity.....
Once he turned around, literally mid-walk to his head table and said to me 'You want me to give you a $1"?
- "Erm, no" - I replied, "I'd like you to sign the dollar bill to feature in my Heroes & villains exhibition next year that will showcase the American dream and what you're brining to the region"
- "Sure, I'll sign but I get to keep your pen, Deal?"
I couldn't believe that not only had he stopped proceedings and kept several hundred investors waiting but he started to negotiate!
" Ok, as long as you sign a $2 bill aswell please" came my cheeky reply.
He thankfully smiled then proceeded to sit down and sign both the $1 and $2 bank notes with my fat blue sharpie-like pen, whilst my Tunisian TV reporter friend snapped a few photos with Ivanka and thankfully this one....
"Have you invested in one on my properties?" He asked me as I handed him the pen.
"Erm, no - I may do though when I've made my living from this Artwork". He laughed, popped the pen in his top pocket , looked over at my Tunisian friend and said, "Who is she, she's a good one, keep hold of her" - I just laughed and off he went to Top Trump Table.
Several levels of bemused hired security guards looks on (Atlantis Hotel, Damac and Trumps) as it was time to leave....
And then leggit!
Aside to this I had a hit list of Wolf of Wallstreet, Lewis Hamilton, Rory Mcillroy, Manchester United as many were passing through Dubai plus and most importantly the unsung foot soldiers of Dubai - those who make it tick behind the scenes from construction workers, petrol station attendants and door openers.
Winter 2014 : Top Trumps, Donald Artwork completed
Top Trumps, Donald
Acrylic on canvas and the following 7 Top Trump cards from a 1977 pack - Captain America, Invisible girl, Green Goblin, Dr Octopus, The Mighty Thor, Daredevil, Mr. Fantastic plus golf article magazine highlights of him in 3 shots : Cover shot (bottom right, Driving the golf ball (top right) and pretending to shoot the golf club (Top Left)
Those Top Trump cards mean way more to me now in the context of Donald Trump that they did when I bought them off E-Bay in the summer of 2014.
February 2015 : Construction Overalls Artwork completed
With a construction background myself (signing my first $1 bill for Mum as a good luck message in August 1994 on my way to study my Masters Degree in Civil Engineering, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo) I was smooth handed sales & marketing man rather than one who did the real physical work, as it were....
It occurred to me that after a privileged few years in Dubai (pre 2008, corporate gravy train) that those poor souls working in the heat building Dubai should be honoured. In relative terms they were earning better than at home but still an average of $150 per month with often passports not under their own control.
So, I was living near the City Walk shopping centre site that pushed me on to literally heading down there and buy Waqaas, a Pakistan labourers XXXL overall, to act as a canvas (a large in Uk / Medium in American terms) ....
Which was finished as 'Construction Overalls, Waaqas'
I went back a few months later to give out some Art booklets and thank them, they look expectedly on for money to follow but right then I was boxing clever, shall we say...
Sure, you can hold an Art book upside down!
April 2015 : Heroes & Villains exhibition, Dubai
So it was all set to go, a decent gallery space....
Strong theme.....
Heroes and Villains from all walks of life.....
ALL walks....
Both of these, together with 18 other both sides of the coin originals were showcased in the heart of DIFC....
See both Artworks in the top corner - that's Trump and Construction next to each other! Quite a contrasting, within the lines artwork in relative terms, largely unnoticed back then...
but gallery-priced at the same $10,000 / AED 36,000 ish none the less.....
largely unnoticed at the time unless I muscled in and told the Art with a story....
Art with a story
Even painting a silent bride ....
Plus a 3Doodler stand for everyone to make $ signs....
Even a THIS IS ME (cry for help) mini-doll....
Launch night was a pretty staid affair) Office trailer....
Behind the scenes...
With hard-to-get Mercedes headlining with a gold S Class at the event that I wasn't allowed to paint on despite many requests
In short, more bells and whistles that you could shake a stick at to encourage people to stay longer in, galleries aren't the warmest of places!
The reality was, nothing sold through the sales prevention team at the gallery, me getting over enthused, setting my sights too high too soon but in terms of marking my territory in the Art scene it helped acheived that (but wasn't necessary, I've since learned)
16th June 2015 : Trump announces he is standing for president
He really did, looking back it was a 'oh well, that'll liven things up' with people mocking but maybe, a Disruptive was exactly what was needed?
November 2015
Top Trumps, Donald and Construction Overalls were sold privately, to the same Dubai buyer! Plus one from the private collection, a gold on green $ shot :
SOLD : GOLD ON GREEN dollarshot' 80CM X 80CM acrylic on canvas with collector Oksana Walker who became my female patron in Dubai.
November 8th 2016
Donald Trump it is then - confirmed during The United States presidential election of 2016, the 58th quadrennial American presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016.
Only the Simpsons could have predicted this!
Not family guy....
January 20, 2017 : Trump inaugurated as 45th President of The United States
The owner of Top Trumps Donald & Construction Overalls was rather over joyed at the news!
August 2018 :California
Some 18 months on, the buyer ships both Artworks are now over in California for a potential re-sale through the right channel.....
Top trumps, Donald : California August 2018 ready to launch back onto the market could be sold through an auction house, gallery, private collector or who knows where? Maybe back to the man himself!
Construction Overalls
Reframed in a re-bar style to really do it justice some 4 years on - don't forget both sides of the coin and thanks for reading this Art with a story in vulnerable glory.
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