Melania Trump has been receiving a lot of mixed reception from the public since she officially became the United States First Lady. While many people seemed to praise and applaud her for her efforts inside the White House, there are still criticisms thrown at her.
Similarly, this dynamic goes the same with her recently carved wooden statue in Slovenia. As it happens, there are a lot of individuals who love the sculpture but, there are, as well, who find it funny as if it is a "joke."
In late 2018, Brad Downey reportedly commissioned Slovenian local sculptor, Ales Zupevc, who is also known as "Maxi," to design and carve a statue of the First Lady. It was revealed, later on, that the Kentucky-born conceptual artist targeted a local artist in Slovenia where Melania Trump was born and grew.
Several publications have noted that Brad Downey has been known mostly for his "public pranks" in the form of art pieces. But while the wooden statue of Melania may seem to fall under this dynamic, it was reported that "no one really knows" whether it was serious or a joke.
In a scoop made by David Henley for Nevada Appeal, he shared his and his wife's experiences in Slovenia upon visiting the community where the statue of Melania Trump lies. Based on photos, along with descriptions, the wooden statue is nothing like the First Lady.
Although it seemingly portrayed Melania's appearance during President Donald Trump's 2017 inauguration as its clothing looked similar to the "powder-blue coat" that she wore, no further similarities were seen between the statue and the president's wife.
Even so, David Henley and his wife still went on to learn a few insights on the statue from the locals. As per assertions, the general reception was mixed.
Some individuals love how the statue looks. Others, however, find it unappealing and "ugly" or "laughable." Nevertheless, the majority of the citizens were said to share their praise toward Melania Trump for being a "good wife" and a good person.
According to The Washington Post, several art experts in various locations agree that Brad Downey's idea and concept of the statue remains "unknown." But, despite the anonymity of the goal of his and Zupevc's piece, this is mainly what gives the statue its "ultimate power."
As added by the Berlin-based curator, Lukas Feireiss, it is the "beauty" of it given that no one knows whether the wooden statue of Melania Trump is a joke or not. It was a "living display of Downey's love for contradiction," he added. It was noted by the publication that Feireiss studied Brad Downey's work for years.
