'Get my work off your walls': 'Embarrassed' artists tell Ivanka Trump to take their work down

Artists are demanding Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, remove their work from her luxury apartment because they are embarrassed to be associated with her and her father.

The New York artists have formed a group called the Halt Action Group (HAG) and launched a campaign, "Dear Ivanka", in protest at the 35-year-old’s support for her father’s policies.

Ms Trump’s social media accounts include numerous photos of her posing in her New York apartment in front a range of paintings, sculptures and designer furniture.

But many of the artists whose work is displayed are unhappy about being linked to the President-elect’s daughter.

One, Alex Da Corte, commented on a photo of Ms Trump posing in front of one of his paintings saying: “Dear @Ivankatrump please get my work off of your walls. I am embarrassed to be seen with you.”

Another, Alex Israel, commented on a different post demanding Ms Trump: “Stand with artists and so many people around the world who believe that America means equality for all people."

The HAG’s website states: “Dear Ivanka, we need to talk about your dad.

"Racism, anti-Semitism, misogyny, and homophobia are not acceptable anywhere—least of all in the White House.

"Hate has no place in the White House. We refuse to "wait and see". We look to you as the voice of reason."

open image in gallery

The group was formed by Alison Gingeras, a curator, Bill Powers, an art dealer, artist Jonathan Horowitz and several others.

Mr Powers told Bloomberg: “I think there are a lot of artists that are uncomfortable now being incorporated, or leveraged, as part of the Ivanka Trump brand.”

Ms Gingeras said the group wanted to “thwart the normalisation of what was unfolding in front of our eyes” and force Ms Trump "to answer for some of the hypocrisy she embodies”.

The HAG held a rally last month outside the Puck building in Manhattan where Ms Trump lives with her husband, Jared Kushner. Over 500 protesters held placards reading “Dear Ivanka your Daddy is scary as hell” and “Putin? Really?”

They also wrote postcards to Ms Trump bearings messages such as, “Dear Ivanka, are you going to help anyone that doesn’t look like you?" and, “Dear Ivanka, bigotry is not in style”.

Some of the artists said the new-found influence of Ms Trump had made them think more carefully about who their work is sold to and seen by.

Ivanka Trump has been the subject of several protests since her father’s election in November as the next US President. Last month calls for a boycott of her clothing brand led several shops to drop the line from their stores.

Her close involvement in planning for Mr Trump’s presidency has also raised questions. The President-elect announced following his election that his children, including Ivanka, would run his businesses while he is President to avoid him suffering a conflict of interest.

Since then, however, Ivanka has taken part in Mr Trump’s conversations with the Japanese Prime Minister and Argentinian President – both countries where the Trump family has business interests.

Mr Trump’s team denied any business matters had been discussed during the talks.