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Trump on a Cross: Hyperreal Sculpture Quietly Debuts in Basel

Gleis 4 installed the piece in a Basler Kunstmeile window, opting for a public vitrine over its planned station gallery.

Overview

  • The resin work, titled Saint or Sinner by British artist Mason Storm, shows the U.S. president in an orange prison jumpsuit strapped to a padded white cross with his eyes closed.
  • After an earlier showing in Vienna, the piece has been on view in Basel since Saturday in a street-level display along a downtown pedestrian passage.
  • Counters recorded more than 3,000 passersby on Monday, with observers describing curiosity but little visible indignation in the Art Basel city.
  • Gallery owner Konrad Breznik emphasized the sculpture’s unsettling realism, and reporting notes interpretations that recall crucifixion or a lethal-injection scene.
  • The work was purchased in advance by an internationally known Europe-based collector whose identity is undisclosed, while the artist remains anonymous and is often compared to Banksy.