Statue of Melania Trump

A wooden statue of Melania Trump, sculpted by Aleš "Maxi" Župevc, was installed in her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia in 2019.[1][2] The wood carving was commissioned by Brad Downey, an American artist living in Berlin.

Statue of Melania Trump
ArtistAleš Župevc
Year2019 (2019) (wood)
2020 (2020) (bronze)
SubjectMelania Trump
LocationSevnica, Slovenia
Coordinates45.99108°N 15.42695°E / 45.99108; 15.42695

The statue was torched on the night of July 4, 2020, and removed soon after.[3] It was replaced by a bronze-cast version in September that year.[4]

Description
Melania Trump at the inauguration of Donald Trump.

The statue is a life-size depiction of Melania Trump. In its original wooden form, the dress and arms of the statue are painted powder blue, to reflect her outfit at the inauguration of Donald Trump.[5]

The original statue was carved out of a poplar tree,[7] and the bronze replacement stands on the same trunk.[4] From the ground to the tip of the statue, it stands 9 feet (2.7 m) tall.

History

Wooden version

Brad Downey commissioned Aleš Župevc, also known as "Maxi," to create the statue as part of an exposition in Ljubljana.[5] Župevc, an amateur woodworker employed as a pipelayer,[8] carved the statue out of a poplar tree[4] using a chainsaw.[5] The statue was officially unveiled on July 5, 2019.[9]

Following the statue's unveiling, it was met with derision; an ITV report quoted local residents calling it "a disgrace" and comparing it to Smurfette.[10] In an interview with The New York Times, Downey said that "[Župevc] wasn't making a joke."[5]

The statue was set on fire on the night of July 4, 2020, coinciding with American Independence Day celebrations. It was removed by Downey soon after.[11] The burnt statue was exhibited in a seaside town near Sevnica.[12]

Bronze version

A replacement, cast in bronze, was unveiled on September 15, 2020.[12]

See also

References
  1. "Arsonist targets statue of Melania Trump in first lady's hometown". 9 July 2020. Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  2. Hassan, Jennifer (July 9, 2020). "In Slovenia, statue of Melania Trump set on fire and removed". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. "U.S. First lady Melania Trump statue set on fire in Slovenia". Reuters. 8 July 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  4. Connolly, Kate (15 September 2020). "Wooden Melania Trump statue replaced with bronze after arson attack". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  5. Karasz, Palko (6 July 2019). "Someone Used a Chain Saw to Make a Melania Trump Statue. Few Were Impressed". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  6. Connolly, Kate (19 September 2020). "'Frustrations at US policies' behind Melania Trump statue, says artist". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  7. Reporting in The Guardian states that the second statue "stands on the trunk of the same tree."[6] In a separate article by the same author, it's stated that the second statue is "placed on the same tree stump where the wooden statue stood."[4]
  8. Flynn, Meagan (8 July 2019). "'She might like it': Slovenian pipe layer who carved Melania's statue isn't laughing with critics". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  9. "'Scarecrow' statue of Melania Trump unveiled in Slovenia to mixed reviews". The Guardian. AFP. 5 July 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  10. "'It's a disgrace': Melania Trump gets first statue in home country Slovenia". ITV. 5 July 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  11. Peltier, Elian (9 July 2020). "A Melania Trump Statue Is Set on Fire. Its Patron Gets Inspired". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  12. Peltier, Elian (16 September 2020). "Melania Trump Statue Returns in Slovenia. (This One Is Harder to Burn.)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
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