Bridge Burner

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 18" x 14"
Year: 2025
Artist: Matthew Medupin

Artist Statement:
This painting is a visual commentary on political hypocrisy, inspired by members of the U.S. government under Donald Trump who benefited from immigration and social systems they later sought to dismantle for others. Two arched bridges stretch across a symbolic sea — one populated by hopeful, silhouetted figures representing new immigrants, the other occupied by a solitary figure walking away, embodying power and disconnection.

At the centre, the bridge is violently engulfed in flames and smoke, symbolising the deliberate destruction of access, opportunity, and memory.

The boats beneath — floating in the serene blue — signify dreams now out of reach, severed by an act of betrayal.

Bridge Burner challenges the viewer to reflect on the moral consequences of pulling up the ladder after climbing it, and questions the integrity of leadership that forgets its roots.

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