Who Is Joanie Lemercier? Artist Projects 'Trump Out' Message on Las Vegas Tower

French artist Joanie Lemercier secretly projected the words 'TRUMP OUT' onto the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas using a laser system positioned hundreds of metres away on the day of the US midterm elections.

The French visual artist, known for large-scale light installations and environmental activism, revealed in a series of social media posts that the display had been planned weeks in advance, using a laser projector placed in a room opposite the building.

He shared photographs and footage of the projection online, showing the word 'OUT' illuminated beside the tower's existing 'TRUMP' signage to create the message 'TRUMP OUT.'

How the 'Trump Out' Projection Was Pulled Off

Lemercier revealed in his social media posts that he and his team had arranged to rent a room opposite the building a few weeks before the projection.

According to the artist, they used a bright laser projector positioned approximately 200 metres away to display the word 'OUT' alongside the building's existing 'TRUMP' signage.

The artist also explained his decision to release the images on the day of the US midterm elections, held on 3 November 2026.

'Today are the US midterms, an election that will have a deep and broad impact on international politics,' he wrote.

In an earlier post, Lemercier announced that he was preparing to release images of large-scale projections on the Trump-branded Las Vegas tower ahead of the election. He later shared additional footage showing the projection equipment and the message being prepared on a computer screen.

Who Is Joanie Lemercier?

Joanie Lemercier is a French visual artist born in 1982 whose work explores how projected light can transform physical spaces and influence human perception.

According to his official biography on the Studio Lemercier website, he has worked with projected light since 2005. He co-founded the visual label AntiVJ in 2006 alongside artists Yannick Jacquet, Romain Tardy and Olivier Ratsi.

The group developed audiovisual installations and architectural projections, using light to create visual experiences that challenged how audiences perceived space and physical structures.

Lemercier later established his own creative practice, focusing on installations, gallery exhibitions and experiments involving projected light.

His work has been exhibited internationally, including at Art Basel and Fundación Telefónica in Madrid.

His artistic approach often combines geometry, patterns, computer programming and light to transform ordinary surfaces into immersive visual displays.

Artist's Track Record With Protest Projections

Beyond his gallery work, Lemercier has increasingly used his technical skills to support environmental causes and activist campaigns.

In November 2019, he published a project called 'Projection Rebellion,' explaining that he had decided to dedicate a significant part of his time to supporting environmental groups through projection technology.

He designed bright, portable projection systems that activists could use during demonstrations and direct-action campaigns.

His documented projects included projections supporting Extinction Rebellion, including displays on Buckingham Palace and the British Parliament in London in October 2019.

Lemercier also worked with Ende Gelände, a climate activist movement campaigning against coal mining.

Environmental concerns have become a significant part of his artistic practice. His official biography says he has been increasingly concerned about climate change and environmental degradation, including the environmental footprint of digital art.

One of his notable projects, 'Slow Violence,' explored the destruction of Germany's Hambach Forest through coal mining.

The audiovisual installation, which dates back to 2019, documents the environmental damage caused by the Hambach surface mine and the efforts of activists seeking to protect the forest.

What People in Las Vegas Said They Saw

Lemercier's projection also attracted attention from social media users, including one person who said they had witnessed it in Las Vegas.

'I saw this and loved it! So many people were taking pics,' the commenter wrote, adding that they had not seen so many people looking at the building in a long time.

Other social media users also shared images featuring their own anti-Trump messages alongside the Las Vegas tower.

The project adds to Lemercier's history of using projected light to bring political and environmental messages into public spaces.