With its sleek graphics, the drawing inevitably attracts attention. At first glance, we recognize the wick and the toothbrush mustache, characteristic attributes of Adolf Hitler. But the shape of the mustache calls out: it is the profile of Donald Trump!
A so-called Time cover covering this caricature has been massively broadcast on social networks in recent days, accompanied by the title "Racism - The greatest virus". It seemed to echo the anger that has gripped the United States since the death of an African-American, George Floyd, during his arrest by the police. However, the American magazine never published this drawing on the front page.
Gabrovo catalog, Bulgaria
Gepostet von Luc Descheemaeker am Montag, 12. Juni 2017Originally exhibited without the red frame and the titraille of Time, this caricature was produced in 2016 by Belgian artist Luc Descheemaeker and had some success at the time. Donald Trump was not yet president of the United States.
"It's surrealism"
On May 17, then on May 19, the cartoonist shared his drawing on Twitter in the form of false cover of Time. This is when the latter seem to emerge on this social network as well as on Facebook. But the false cover really started to go viral on Friday, as the United States began to tear itself apart around the case of George Lloyd, killed on May 25.
Qué (dolorosa) maravilla pic.twitter.com/AYDhEIgSwn
- Marcos Pereda (@ MarcosPereda2) May 29, 2020Contacted by Le Parisien, Luc Descheemaeker concedes to be the author of the false cover but denies having wanted to deceive Internet users: "I made an image. An image that looks like the front page of a magazine. It's surrealism like Ceci n'est pas une pipe de René Magritte. I made a picture of dark surreal days in the United States. "
"I don't pretend it's a first page. I suggested the idea: What if this image was a real image! ? Concludes the artist.
