The Trump name may be famous but it isn’t always connected to the business dynasty founded by Fred Trump, as these 7 Trump-named businesses illustrate.

If you thought the Trump dynasty was fueled by real estate, well… yeah, that’s actually correct. “Trump Oil”, on the other hand, isn’t (or wasn’t) even American. According to petroliana collector Harvey Thiessen, the Trump Oil Company operated a small oil refinery in Morris, Manitoba, about 40 miles (60 km) south of Winnipeg. Drivers in the pre- and post-war era could fill ‘er up at Trump Oil pumps and score a souvenir calendar with a built-in thermometer.

Trump Hair Magic

Hey, is that Kenny Blankenship from MXC standing outside Trump Hair Magic in Kyoto, Japan? Right you aren’t, Ken! Someone needs to bring Jimmy Fallon to this place so he can muss up the wigs in the store’s front window. Flickr member sprklg snapped the shop’s weathered storefront in June of 2016.

Trumps Inn

“Trumps Inn is a ‘no tell motel’ on U.S. Route 301 in Orangeburg, South Carolina,” according to Flickr member Gerry Dincher, who photographed the inn’s bland and generic sign in early 2018. “I should have taken a picture of it (the inn), too,” added Dincher, “but the place gave me the creeps.” Better the creeps than the cooties, or so they say.

Good thing fellow Flickr member Brian Copeland (blcope) captured the above wide-angle view and by the way… where is everyone? Alternative facts state the place is doing a yuuuge amount of business, especially compared to Obamas Inn.

Trump Optik

Sees her by the… hmm, never mind. Trump Optik is located in Bali, Indonesia, and judging from the professional-looking sign it may be part of a larger chain of optometrist stores. Flickr member Ya, saya inBaliTimur saved the snazzy shop sign for photographic posterity in March of 2018.

Doner Trump

As if the charitable Trump Foundation didn’t have enough legal problems… hold on, this is “Doner Trump”, not “Donor Trump”. Also known as Shawarma or Gyros, Doner kebab is a Middle-Eastern fast-food meat cooked on a spinning vertical rotisserie. If the shop-owners want to appeal to The Donald himself, however, they’ll need to rename it McDoner. The sign boldly features a likely (ya think?) unauthorized image of Donald Trump, as snapped by Flickr member LoveBelfast Belfast in June of 2017.

So who’s Donald Trump gonna sue first, Doner Trump from Belfast or Döner Trump from Germany, land of Trump’s ancestors? The above shop in Bielefeld uses a Statue of Liberty graphic on its sign, rather than the Belfast store’s Trump photo. Either way, it seems Europeans equate America with Trump and Liberty… though never the twain shall meat.

Trump Café

“Many people think he is a joke, but he is an inspiration for me,” explains Saiful Islam, owner of the Trump Café in Dhaka, Bangladesh. “I did not start the business with any specific thought in mind,” adds Islam, “just the fact that I am a big fan of US President Donald Trump.” Customers who share Islam’s admiration of the 45th president can order a signature Trump Cocktail and pose for photos with a life-size cardboard cutout of Trump. Flickr member Leonardo Assad Aoun (leonardoassad) posted the above image of the storefront sign in July of 2017.

Rugs For Trump

While not a Trump-named business per se, the Shambala Furniture Warehouse in Hong Kong gladly enlisted Donald Trump to promote the “hair-raising discounts” at its going-out-of-business sale. Unlike the previously featured café owner, however, this shop seems to be trolling Trump on an epic scale: a portion of the proceeds from rug sales will be donated to Syrian refugees via UN agencies Trump has recently ceased funding.

Last but not least, the sign’s “Rugs for Trump” header features an unflattering photo of Trump with his “rug” blown askew by the wind. Sad.

Vladimir Putin of Russia is a polarizing figure to say the least, as these examples of street art, graffiti and stencils from all over the world illustrate.

Considering his position at the zenith of Russian politics for most of the 21st century, it’s really no surprise Vladimir Putin has topped Forbes list of The World’s Most Powerful People the last four years running. Such global influence hasn’t gone unrecognized by the world’s artistic community either, though their acknowledgment isn’t always complimentary.

One place where you WILL find pro-Putin street art is in Crimea, the Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in March of 2014. Are these flattering public portraits really the work of independent street artists? That’s the authorities’ story and they’re sticking to it.

Social media users aren’t sure what to think of the tributes and as one might think, critiques are a delicate matter – Big Brother really is watching. Even so, some anonymous protesters have made their feelings felt, in some cases so effusively the compromised “artwork” has had to be painted over.

The Worm Turns

In other parts of the Ukraine, Putin is, er, not so highly regarded. The above graffiti from Ternopol, western Ukraine, implies Putin has acted in an insidious, duplicitous, “wormlike” manner. The German stahlhelm is meant to evoke a previous threat to Ukrainian lives and livelihoods.

Ukraine Not Weak, Very Tasty

Being the powerful leader of a nation practicing an aggressive foreign policy is a two-edged sword: that leader becomes the focus of resentment, resistance and remonstrance by the aggressees. This graffiti of Putin acting power-hungry was painted in Odessa in April of 2014 by artist Sviatoslav Lavrusenko. “I think, Putin will get indigestion, if he does not stop,” states Lavrusenko on his Facebook page.

“The character ‘HACKERMAN’ from the 2015 film Kung Fury… is used in jokes regarding a person’s inflated sense of self-esteem when they solve a simple technical issue,” according to Know Your Meme. Russia’s alleged hacking of the DNC during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, however, was (a) no joke and (b) doubtlessly did little to boost Vladimir Putin’s healthy sense of self-esteem. This cleverly painted corrugated metal garage door can be found in Melbourne, Australia.

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Breaking Vlad Street Art Takes On Vladimir Putin

Nearly every single President of the United States, from George Washington through George W. Bush, sits in a dead field in Virginia, some with the tops of their heads blown off or streaks of dirt streaming down their cheeks, looking rather war-torn. Stark white and silent, they wait for what will likely be their ultimate fate: total destruction. The 43 crumbling statues were saved from demolition after the closure of Presidents Park in Williamsburg, Virginia in 2010, and now drone footage has captured them in their current state of purgatory.

A man named Howard Hankins was reportedly tasked with destroying the statues when the park shut down after six years in operation, and couldn’t bear to go through with it. He had them moved – at a cost of $50,000 – to his farm in the small town of Croaker, about ten miles away. Most of the damage to the twenty-foot-tall statues was sustained during the move. The field is private property and not open to visitors, but Hankins did allow one drone operator access to take this stunning video.

Weighing up to 20,000 pounds each, the statues were a challenge to relocate. The tops of the their heads had to be cracked so a crane could hook onto the metal frame inside each one to move them, and some sustained neck damage as they were lifted. Once in place, they continued to peel and crack. Ronald Reagan bears the scars of being hit by lightning.

Their presence in the field is a bit eerie, especially when the landscape is icy, as captured by photographer David Ogden of Abandoned Earth. It’s hard not to see them in a post-apocalyptic light, imagining them crumbling to dust as a symbol of a culture destined to fall – our version of the ruins of Rome. But at this rate, it doesn’t seem like they’ll be around much longer. An attempt to raise funds to preserve them hasn’t mustered any more enthusiasm than the Presidents Park did when it was a tourist attraction tucked behind a motel, too far from Williamsburg’s more popular sights.

After years of both importing famous designers and copying strange structures from abroad, Xi Jinping, the leader of China’s Communist Party has declared an end to offbeat construction projects going forward. Translated from a two-hour speech on the subject, he was recently quoted as saying: “No more weird architecture.” As yet, it remains unclear whether this is a statement of official policy direction or a tacit warning to developers to play it safe stylistically and work within more conventional cultural styles and typologies.

Iconic buildings in the country have been coming under attack for quite some time, but the phallic look of the 500-foot headquarters of the Chinese state newspaper, the People’s Daily, sparked particular outrage, likely leading to his more vocal objection. Crasser comparisons aside, various spheres, donuts and other shaped deemed odd by the party leader have also been critiqued both domestically and on the international social web.

Other designs prompting problems for the government in the press include the CCTV headquarters in Beijing by Rem Koolhaas. Still, the theme of genitalia shape comparisons in paritcular, as in the case of the bridges (above) in Chongqing, have caused state media to start censoring search results related to some projects. They are also not fans of advertising their surreal replicas or ghost cities, also unusual byproducts of the recent construction boom. There may be a larger political message at work as well – China’s relatively recent new leadership has been cracking down on decadence and corruption in various other forms.

Speaking recently, Xi maintained that “Fine art works should be like sunshine from the blue sky and the breeze in spring that will inspire minds, warm hearts, cultivate taste and clean up undesirable work styles.” Sadly for some, his response comes at a time when architecture in China is also drawing a great deal of positive attention, some copycat scandals aside.

George W. Bush is arguably the most controversial person in the world. Whether you love him or hate him, he is clearly one of the most influential figures in modern history (we’ll leave the politics of that influence up to you). And nowhere has his influence been displayed more than in the world of art. From the streets of Sydney to the museums of New York, President Bush has inspired an awakening in many artists. An awakening to the realization that art can and should be used to express their right to free speech, whether for or against him. Amateurs and professionals alike have begun once again to use art as a persuasive means of mass communication, rather than just a self-serving means to an end. In saying that, enjoy this list of art inspired by the lame duck leader of the free world himself, George W. Bush.

(image via: Jonathan Yeo)

British Artist Jonathan Yeo created this portrait of President Bush using a collage of images cut out from 100 porn magazines.This piece was unveiled in August 2007 at the Lazarides Gallery in London. Interesting enough, Yeo was commissioned by the George W. Bush Presidential Library to paint an official portrait of the 43rd President, but before he could begin working on the portrait he was fired. Instead of scrapping the project all together he decided to change directions and finish the piece anyway…with porno mags.

(image via: Toots Fontaine)

It is amazing to understand the weight and impact an American president can have on a country abroad. This stencil was created by an unknown artist, and resides on the side of a building in the Fitzroy district of Melbourne, Australia. Stenciling has become a popular way for street artists to create their pieces in less time. Regardless of the time it takes to create art like this, the impact is no less influential in the message and meaning the work conveys.

(image via: Takomabibelot)

Whereverin the world George Bush goes, a protest will be there, and his hometown is no exception. This piece was created using home printed materials, magazine cutouts, wheat paste and cardboard. The message in this sign is simple, but the juxtaposition of using a culturally relevant icon as the conduit for the president’s message is where this protest piece becomes unique.

(image via: Tavallai)

This is the type of art you find on the side of the road driving through Arkansas. The time it must have took to perfect the skill of carving wood using a chainsaw is no less difficult than the time it takes to learn how to paint on canvas. Also, it is respectable when artists use found objects to create their works, and Arkansas is no exception.

(image via: kid_pro_quo)

San Francisco is arguably the most beautiful city on the west coast, and not only is this city known for its beauty, but also its heavy concentration of self-important people.Regardless of the self-importance, San Francisco is a great place to admire artistic expression.This piece was created using screen printed posters and wheat paste, there is also a spray-painted message that was stenciled on the bottom of this piece that was later added by a different artist. If you are in the area, this work of art is now available to be seen at the cross streets of Valencia and 23^rd in the heart of the Mission District.

(image via: bethanyjbrady)

A simple drawing of a simple man.One can’t help but think the admiration that must have taken place while spending the time creating this pencil drawing. I can’t help but wonder where the inspiration came from for this piece. No matter where it came from, this artist felt it necessary to post this on her flickr page where people gave her high marks for her interpretation of “The Man”.

(image via: forklift)

Every year, art supporter and gallery owner Jeffrey Deitch sponsors the Soho art parade. Since 2005, artists have been encouraged to express themselves on the streets of lower Manhattan by creating anti-war effigies. And of course, nothing speaks more anti-war than an effigy of the president in his underwear. This parade pulls its inspiration from the Dadaist parade movements of the early 20^th century. Dadaism is a cultural movement that began in Zurich, Switzerland, which paraded art from all disciplines in the streets and concentrated its message on being anti-war.

(image via: wallyg)

This masterpiece hung in New York’s Museum of Arts and Design from November 8, 2007 to April 27, 2008, and was created by master embroider Xiang Yang. The name of Yang’s work is The Truth People Are Not Willing To Face: Bushism vs. Saddamism. This piece combines hand-embroidered silk thread with silkscreen printed end pieces, all of which are enclosed in a stainless steel frame. Xiang Yang’s work often deals with political issues related to power, politics, and personality. Yang sets up a mirror-like image of the two leaders, their faces appearing to morph into each other by way of the connecting threads. Yang explained that this piece represents his that Bush and Saddam share the same core, egoism.

(image via: rybczynski)

This mural was painted by an unknown artist on the wall of a discotheque called Klub Aurora in Warsaw, Poland. The faces represented in this piece are of some of the most feared leaders in modern history and George W’s mug can be seen to the far right in blue. If you look closely, every world leader represented in this mural has been painted with male parts with the exception of George Bush and Osama Bin Laden, who have female parts.

(image via: 6degreesofcaseyserin)

I know the feeling. The feeling that this country is so out of control, and the only thing you can do is get a tattoo that represents your disgust for the current state of the world. The meaning of this tattoo is pretty obvious, and more power to the owner of this piece for their intense commitment, because it must have been uncomfortable to walk on for a couple of days.

(image via: wow)

Vandalism? Work of art! The writer who first penciled this in their black book, then scouted the location, and finally completed this masterpiece, worked tirelessly to get his message out. The artist who created this is known on his Myspace page as “stok_tct” and he has many pieces up in and the around the area of Liverpool, England. You can find this piece on the side of an auto shop in downtown Liverpool. This piece was painted over wood using spray cans and paint rollers. Keep up the great work, mate! If you are interested in viewing more of this artist’s work you can visit his Myspace page.

This piece is a picture of a protest poster that was pasted to a wall and torn. It is unknown if this piece was ripped intentionally or if it was torn due to environmental erosion. Regardless the message of this piece is still intact, and the tears out of the original poster almost add to the dramatic effect of the artwork. Not much else is known about this piece except for the person who took the picture and posted it on the internet. Though that is the case, it is still an interesting piece and deserves attention.

(image via: artshole)

British artist, Melvin Galapon writes on his site that features the George W. Bush Pinhead, “My work is somewhere between art direction, illustration and graphic design.” Whatever genre this piece falls under, one thing is for sure, it sure is different. But different is good, whether or not this idea has been done before, I still applaud this artist’s clever choice of medium for the piece. Galapon’s work was created using different colored push pins on cork board.

(image via: philinthecircle)

This piece stands 70 x 90 and is the most serious in the list for the very fact that the image was created using the names of Coalition soldiers that have died in the Iraq war as of April 30, 2005. The artist that created this is named Phil Hansen, and he typically does portraits of people using different a variety of very unique materials, including french fry oil, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and photo copied pages of the bible.

(image via: artnewyorkcity)

This piece is by master artist Peter Saul and is called George Bush at Abu Ghraib. If it hasn’t already been purchased You can find it hanging in the Leo Koening Gallery in New York. Peter Saul is widely known for pulling inspiration from politics and art history, and has been creating and selling art since the late 1950’s. Peter Saul has been quoted as saying that this piece is supposed to represent the president being the one solely responsible for the mess in Iraq.

Inspiration for artistic expression can come from anywhere at anytime, and the one thing that links these 15 pieces of art together, is the fact that each artist’s inspiration came from one person. Whether that inspiration was guided by disgust, malice or admiration, George W. Bush has proven to be a driving force behind some very creative works of art.