WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A Delaware university removed from an online showcase a piece of student artwork depicting President Donald Trump being decapitated.
Wilmington University student Jennie Williams’ piece showed the Statue of Liberty slicing Trump’s bloodied neck with a sword, and was meant to be a parody of Italian painter Caravaggio’s 16th century work “Judith and Holofernes,” The Delaware News Journal reported. A photo of the piece showed Williams had placed Trump’s and Lady Liberty’s heads over the subjects on the original painting.
University officials removed the piece because it did not meet the school’s values, said Joe Aviola, senior director of administrative and legal affairs. Aviola said there were no explicit rules for the show, but officials reviewed the entry Tuesday and decided to remove it after someone expressed concern. William’s piece had passed an initial review when it was submitted, the newspaper said.
“It’s more violent than it is expression of speech,” Aviola told the newspaper.
Williams submitted the piece last month as part of a contest including other student works produced during classes. She couldn’t be reached for comment by the news outlet Wednesday.