kieran casta n o
by Leah Sandler
Representation and Satire In the Age of Trump
Kieran Castaño’s illustrations, paintings, and sequential works are
humorous, seductively ambiguous, and poignantly vulnerable expres-
sions, drawing form and content from contemporary politics, pop cul-
ture, art history, and underground comics. Castaño frequently culls his
subject matter from politically-charged, personal experiences, creating
representations of queer, androgynous, gender non-conforming, and
trans subjects in identity-based, two-dimensional works. Working skill-
fully in both pen and ink and acrylics, Kieran Castaño approaches our
contemporary moment with earnest humor and wit.
Comics occupy a special place in DIY communities and in grassroots
activism. The sequential form’s accessibility, humor, and ability to
convey narrative through image and spare text make comics an ide-
al platform for communication and self-representation. The history
Everyone Holding the Head of Donald Trump II, acrylic on canvas
Orlando Arts & Culture, v. 2.4
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