WINNIPEG — Canadians looking to express feelings for controversial U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump need look no further than a Winnipeg nightclub urinal for relief.
The men's bathroom in District Stop nightclub has been outfitted with a mural of the presumptive Republican candidate with a urinal in place of Trump's mouth.
Around the black wall in white writing is a collage of Trump's quotes, including "I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me," as well as "I love beautiful women and beautiful women love me" and "I am not a shmuck. I do not wear a rug. My hair is 100 per cent mine."
Winnipeg artist Nereo Eugenio II said bringing Trump together with a urinal seemed fitting.
"We decided it would be a good theme for a bathroom — the idea of using the potty mouth as an actual potty," he said. "We thought a space like a bathroom could be good space to exchange ideas and have conversations — have a tinkle and talk about all the craziness that's happening in the world."
When Eugenio, 31, first painted the mural nine months ago, Trump seemed like a long shot to be the Republican party's presidential candidate. Now, it's all but a certainty.
Trump's appeal baffles Eugenio, who joined others in comparing some of Trump's policies such as banning Muslims from the United States, to those of German dictator Adolf Hitler. When he sorted through Trump's more outrageous quotes, Eugenio said there were so many he "needed a bigger wall."
"It's kind of sad that it's become what seems like a freak show to me rather than something that stands for dignity," he said. "How is it possible that people are following what he says? Where is your sense of humanity? Wake up!
"It just seems ridiculous to me right now."
Casey Lourens, the club's manager, said the owners saw a similar work of art elsewhere and wanted to put their own stamp on the idea. At first, Lourens was worried it might be a little too edgy for a club that draws in hundreds of partygoers in their early 20s.
But he said it's been a good conversation piece.
"It pushes people to think about the situation that we're in," he said. "It's kind of funny to poke some fun back at (Trump) and put him into this situation which is not the most noble of situations."
Eugenio was the first to use the urinal upon completion of his work. He recommends the experience.
"It was a good release, a good emotional release."
