Tin Man of the Twenty-First Century (2018) was created by the multidisciplinary artist and writer Coco Fusco in response to the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Throughout her practice, Fusco has explored political authority and its connection to issues of gender, race, and war. Her multi-media works incorporate video projections, and closed-circuit television, as well as performances that actively engage with audiences. Inspired by monuments of statesmen that tower over public spaces, the Tin Man presents a satirical outlook on our contemporary political moment. Standing at 3 meters tall, Tin Man bears the likeness of Donald Trump. Fusco’s adaptation also resembles the original Tin Woodman from the Wizard of Oz – a character who lacks a heart and cannot love, lacks a brain but is unbothered by it, and requires oil constantly in order to keep moving. Imbuing the work with critical meaning, Fusco explains, ‘The 2016 election was a watershed moment. I sensed that our country would be changed forever. Not every artist wants to respond to what happens in the political arena, but in the course of history many have done so, and I embrace that venerable tradition.’ Tin
