'Abominable' artwork depicts Donald Trump crucified.

British artist Mason Storm is known for his provocative works that satirize the hypocrisies of modern society, frequently referencing classical art (such as Caravaggio, Johannes Vermeer, or Norman Rockwell) combined with icons of pop culture, film, and television. Recently, the artist, who has remained anonymous, using masks and balaclavas, surprised the public with the sculpture titled Saint or Sinner?, on display at the Basler Kunstmeile in Switzerland. The work depicts US President Donald Trump dressed in a prison uniform, with his eyes closed and his body stretched out on a slightly inclined, padded white cross, evoking a possible crucifixion—or execution by lethal injection.

“It’s frighteningly realistic,” Konrad Breznik, owner of the Gleis 4 gallery where the work is on display, told AFP. “When we installed it, we got so close that you could see every wrinkle, and the skin is so realistic it’s almost scary,” he added. And it didn’t take long for the work to be sold. “The buyer is an internationally renowned person and therefore wishes to remain anonymous,” said gallery owner Melanie Breznik. “The value is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” she added.

Regarding the sculpture's meaning, the gallery refers to a podcast of the same name, whose announcement states that it "raises questions about morality, religion, power, and double standards." Storm's work primarily aims to raise the "radical" question: "Can someone be both saint and sinner at the same time?" "And who has the right to judge?" By leaving the answer to these questions to the public, the artist places the viewer in the role of judge, savior, and witness. "The provocation here is not an end in itself, but a method of clarification," the gallery announces. Thus, the work is "a test of our own moral standards."

According to gallery owners Mélanie and Konrad, this sculpture "is more relevant than ever," and this becomes even more evident "considering Trump's role in the Israel-Palestine agreement, his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, and simultaneous actions such as the sinking of alleged Venezuelan cartel ships, which resulted in numerous deaths." "The figure is hanging at a 45-degree angle, leaving both possibilities open – saint or sinner. If it were upright, it would be the cross; if it were lying down, the execution bed," explained Breznik.

'Scandalous' and 'abominable'

According to Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) – Switzerland's German-language broadcasting network – many faithful have already begun expressing their outrage on social media and the Catholic news portal kath.ch. Many say the artwork is in "bad taste" and "offends religious sensibilities." Theology professor Simon Peng-Keller, for example, considers it "a scandalous work of art." The same publication reveals that a bishop in Austria described it as "abominable."

Those in charge of the gallery have spared no effort to protect the sculpture. There is a 24-hour surveillance system, sensors in the display case, alarm systems, and several security patrols throughout the day.

On his Instagram account, Mason Storm describes himself as follows: "The artist people love to love and love to hate, an international bon vivant, a pigment salesman, and an achiever of feats." It's worth noting that one of his best-known works is titled Monkey Parliament. The artist replaces politicians with monkeys to criticize the political system. The setting resembles the British Parliament.

Saint or Sinner is on display in Basel until mid-November.