Melania Trump's chainsaw-carved statue in Slovenia lands on the art market website Artnet's Worst of the Art World list this week. Referred to as "tasteless" and with its mere claim to a vague resemblance to Melania being the blue attire it was depicted in, the folk art piece joined the ranks of a roster of artwork news which did not make the cut for the Best of the Art World registry found on the same site mentioned above.
Since it made news during its unveiling July 5 in the outskirts of the Slovenia town of Sevnica---the United States First Lady's hometown---it has received several critical comments. Some residents called it a likeness to "Smurfette," others just see a "scarecrow," and now, it has been deemed a "disgrace" to the world of art.
The handiwork of a local pipe layer, who was born in the same hospital as well as in the same year as the First Lady, it has already as an artwork been compared with a bungled restoration of the fresco of Jesus in Spain, which has been referred to as Beast Jesus.
The statue of the First Lady's has even been equated with the ridiculed piece of a sculpture modeled after the soccer star athlete Cristiano Ronaldo. While being popular for his moves on the soccer field, the Portuguese player Ronaldo has also garnered a lot of appreciation and admiration from the public and fans alike for his natural good looks.
The said sculpture, much like the wooden statue of Melania, is a far cry from being faithful representations of the originals.
Despite much negative comment, the person who had originally thought up the idea of a Melania statue---and paid up for its completion---Brad Downey, 39, who is an American artist, sees the work of the artist (Ales Zupevc) he had paid to complete the project as "absolutely beautiful."
Downey maintains he can see why there are people who look at the work of art as falling short of being a faithful rendition of the U.S. First Lady's appearance.
Meantime, the piece of work which is located in a field has generated flocks of tourists who are curious and interested in getting as close to Melania as possible, even if only to her intended likeness. It has even fueled sales of Melania keepsakes and souvenirs and helped market Melania-branded foodstuff that local entrepreneurs are hawking around the area.
Tours of the locality are even available and feature a few sites in the area where the FLOTUS may have spent her time during her younger years. The monument faces the river which Downey supposed Melania would have "seen as a child."
But a few are not convinced, with one saying that if the statue had been meant as a "parody," then it would mean the artist had achieved his intention.
Some are of a different opinion, like Katarina who hails from Rozno, one of the towns in the vicinity. The 66-year-old believes that the statue was a "good idea" as she considers Melania, a hero of Slovenia who had made it big in the U.S. A.
