Going Down!

Don’t drop the soap!


A Statue of Trump and Epstein Re-enacting ‘Titanic’ Pose Appears on National Mall, by Ashley Ahn, The New York Times, March 12, 2026

The installation is the latest in a series of satirical statues created by an anonymous group of artists called the Secret Handshake.

A gold-colored statue inspired by the “Titanic” pose has appeared on the National Mall — but instead of portraying Jack supporting Rose from behind as she pretends to fly, it depicts President Trump and the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

A plaque at the statue’s base read: “The tragic love story between Jack and Rose was built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches. This monument honors the bond between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, a friendship seemingly built on luxurious travel, raucous parties and secret nude sketches.”

The statue, which appeared Tuesday and shows Mr. Trump gazing at Mr. Epstein as he held his outstretched arms, is the latest in a series of satirical statues that have appeared in Washington since October 2024, just before the presidential election. Many of the installations, including this one influenced by the movie “Titanic” and Mr. Trump’s friendship with Epstein, were created by an anonymous group of artists called The Secret Handshake. Read the whole article here.

 

From the Vault: Vietnamese Christmas Nativity Burning, 1968

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head…”
and then…
and then…
and then…

Along came Skaggs with his 1968 anti-war art protest, “Vietnamese Christmas Nativity Burning.”

Justice is blind — but this attorney sees the future

From the Vault: Maqdananda

“Why deal with the legal system without knowing the outcome beforehand?”-Maqdananda

Legal council from the other side. From courtrooms to crystal balls, Maqdananda brings legal advice to another dimension.

Joey Skaggs as Maqdananda, Psychic Attorney, in a :30 CNN TV commercial (1994).

Joey Skaggs to Present at Art & Place, Saarbrüchen Germany 2025

Bridging the Gap Between Street Art and Contemporary Art


Joey Skaggs will deliver the keynote address, “Ephemeral Interventions: Public Space as a Canvas for Art and Activism,” at the Art & Place Conference in Saarbrücken, Germany on May 2, 2025. The conference will also be hosting the German premiere of Andrea Marini’s Art of the Prank documentary on May 1, 2025, which celebrates Skaggs’ six-decade career.

Hyperallergic Revisits Joey Skaggs “Vietnamese Christmas Nativity Burning” (1968)

Peace on Earth? Not everywhere. 56 years later, and there’s still no merry Christmas in war.

Emma Cieslik covers artists’ renditions of the Nativity throughout history for Hyperallergic in “Nativity Scenes Have Never Been Neutral,” including Joey Skaggs’ “Vietnamese Christmas Nativity Burning” in 1968.