On the premise that the most chaotic and turbulent times produce the greatest art, the US is bracing itself for a creative explosion during the second Trump term - alongside a few actual bombs. The coming years promise a feast of film, music and poetry, and maybe even the discovery of a rhyme for 'orange'.
In America alone, the sixties counter cultural revolution took place against a backdrop of the Vietnam War, while the Reagan 80s saw hip hop become a global force. In the UK the 80s saw the Specials and the Smiths. In Africa, the most successful pop music innovation came from military-era Nigeria, Mobutu's Zaire and apartheid South Africa. While in Europe, the last days of the Iron Curtain produced - well, it works most of the time.
Still, many established artistes are not happy. The fear of a wave of righteously angry newcomers revolutionising the nation's cultural industries is believed to be why so many Hollywood stars opposed Trump. Said one studio mogul, 'I can take half the stars leaving - as if - believe me, I'd be happy to see them go. But please tell me that having a President who's been shot at doesn't mean I have to start taking Oliver Stone's phone calls again!'
Image by Douglas Gustafson from Pixabay
