Ralph Steadman on the Trump Assassination Attempt and More

The rare artist who could match the intensity and expressiveness of Hunter S. Thompson’s writing is the subject of a retrospective coming to Washington D.C. this fall.

Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing will feature 149 works spanning over 60 years at American University Museum from 7 September to 8 December.

Born in Wallasey, England, in 1936 Ralph Steadman has had a phenomenal career as a cartoonist and illustrator, working with everyone from poet Ted Hughes to rapper Travis Scott.

Among his countless projects, he collaborated with Thompson on his legendary coverage of the Kentucky Derby and Nixon’s 1972 presidential campaign, illustrated Will Self’s collected ramblings Psychogeography (2007), and partnered with documentary maker and fellow ‘Gonzovationist’ Ceri Levy on the books Extinct Boids (2012), Nextinction (2015), and Critical Critters (2020).

He spoke to Ocula about animals both political and otherwise.

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump left us with photographs remarkably reminiscent of Ralph Steadman drawings — streaks of vibrant red across the former president’s cheeks. What did you make of the optics of that moment? Is it something you’ve drawn?

I have drawn images of violence but even though I do find Donald Trump the worst man in the world, the least fit to be any sort of leader, I would never wish assassination on him. I have drawn him and made fun of him. That’s my right to do. There might be violence in some of my work, but it cannot physically hurt anyone. I am expressing a point of view. Sometimes it’s humorous and sometimes it’s quite serious. Some people agree, some do not. I am trying to say something that words cannot say. ‘The only thing of value is the thing you cannot say.’ Lichtenstein said that.

Is it fair to say you’ve always tried to capture the (usually implicit) violence in politics? What do you make of purported attempts to ‘lower the temperature’?

I suppose I take my frustration at the bad decisions and intentions of politicians out on the paper. For a while I stopped drawing their heads entirely and only drew their legs. They are flattered by the attention of cartoonists. It feeds their egos, so I tried to really insult them by just drawing their legs. It didn’t work, they are very thick skinned. (Politicians Legs 1)

Your upcoming exhibition takes place at the American University Museum’s Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C. It’s a very politically-engaged site, but artists are typically political outsiders. How do politicians and the deeply politically-aligned respond to your work, and what do they miss?

Well, it depends if they have a sense of humour and can laugh at themselves. I think Trump would be very insulted by my drawings of him — he takes himself very seriously, but he would miss the finer nuances. He would not stop to question why I want to draw him like I do, devoid of basic decency. Someone like Biden or Obama might see the joke but my drawings of them are not so vicious.

You’re British, but have observed America, along with the rest of us, for much of your career. What did you make of the U.K. election?

It seems our elections are less personal. They do not seem to go in for character assassination — it’s not very sporting. Americans make everything into an event like a rally to bring on a sort of frenzy. The British stiff upper lip is very much still in place. Dignity is important in U.K. elections, except for the Raving Monster Loony Party. It would be interesting if they ended up getting elected one day. But being consciously ridiculous I think is also very British, like Monty Python.

Outside of politics, what do you see as your main preoccupations as an artist? Your animals are superb, for instance.

Yes, the Boids and Critters were good fun to do, but I think that was partly because Ceri Levy was so fun to work with. He always sees the joke and loves playing with words and puns. Like the Needless Smut. It just sounded like a bird amongst the Chatham Shags and the lesser spotted this or that. So, I had to draw it. I like having someone to bounce ideas off of, or react to. Like Hunter — there was always something to react to with him. And Will Self too with the Psychogeography pieces we did. And then these people become lifelong friends. That’s the best bit, when a collaboration turns into a friendship. —[O]

Main image: Ralph Steadman, Donald Trump—Porky Pie. Courtesy the artist.