Trump's Voodoo Cure

Artist: Karen Earl

Materials: sterling silver, copper, vitreous enamel, lapis, brass, steel, foam packing 

Dimensions: 1 1/2" x 5/8"

Beneficiary: The Toolbox Initiative was founded by Tim McCreight and Matthieu Cheminee in 2013 to assist the metalsmithing community in West Africa.  In 2019, I was fortunate to travel with Toolbox Travel to Senegal to see first hand what a gift of friendship and basic metal working tools means to talented jewelers with minimal resources.  Once COVID-19 broke out, Tim and Matthieu have found ways to direct funds and resources to sustain these artisans until tourism and the jewelry market returns.

Statement: After viewing months of COVID-19 coverage and seeing us surpass too many tragic milestones, I was driven to process these events into a tangible object.  This piece mimics the COVID-19 media graphic and places attention on Donald Trump's actions - blaming, delays, denials, deceit and consistent promotion of non-scientific information and treatments.  How many lives could have been saved if scientific recommendations were followed and if preventative transmission measures had been encouraged?

"COVID" in the center of this piece is a riveted copper dome fired with vitreous enamel. A Lapis cabochon is the center of the evil eye symbol on the back.  All elements are mounted onto two textured sterling silver plates. The steel Voodoo pin can be removed and replaced upon the wearers choice.