Hey, remember that wooden statue of Melania Trump that was erected in her hometown, the Slovenian town of Sevnica, last summer? Well, it’s gone now.
Last weekend, the statue was set ablaze by an unknown arsonist. One day later, the blackened remains were hauled away, and all that remains now is a charred stump where the figure once loomed.
The statue was originally created by an “amateur chainsaw sculptor” named Ales “Maxi” Zupevc, who was commissioned by American artist Brad Downey to create the piece honoring America’s First Lady.
Statue of Melania Trump torched in her native Slovenia https://t.co/8cm3YoRZb8 pic.twitter.com/MDhGsR4sZ6
— New York Post (@nypost) July 8, 2020
The BBC described it as “a crude likeness to the US first lady” and locals in Sevnica branded it a “disgrace.” It showed Mrs. Trump in the blue coat she wore on her husband’s inauguration day with her hand in the air as though she were giving a Nazi salute.
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Downey says he wants to find the person who burned the statue so he can learn what their motivations were, adding that he initially hoped it would open a dialogue about the fraught political situation in the U.S.
Naturally, Twitter has quite a bit to say about the torching.
A statue of Melania Trump, that previously stood near her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, was set on fire on July 4. The statue wasn’t destroyed, but was significantly charred before the artist took it down.
I DON’T REALLY CARE, DO U?pic.twitter.com/IDgndG7o31
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) July 9, 2020
Who set fire to the #MelaniaTrump statue? Probably Melania. pic.twitter.com/a9MfcnG2Mb
— sarah koo (@sarahkoo) July 9, 2020
So wait… you’re telling me this is what the Melania Trump statue looked like BEFORE it was set on fire?… You sure? Really?#Slovenia pic.twitter.com/yYSzzSp938
— Kidd the baby GOAT (@KiddK316) July 9, 2020
Slovenia set fire to @MELANIATRUMP @FLOTUS ‘s statue in her birth town Sevnica 😂
Even Slovenia doesn’t like Trump. #TrumpOut2020 pic.twitter.com/3p9kg1YYsf— Patricia (@patriciasoln) July 5, 2020
This statue of Melania Trump outside her Slovenian hometown has been burned to the ground.
React how you will. pic.twitter.com/948OZN4oDK
— Hillary Warned Us to Stay Home (@HillaryWarnedUs) July 8, 2020
Police say they have had launched an investigation into the arson attack. Meanwhile, the White House has not responded to any requests for comment.
Related: The internet has lots to say about this Melania sculpture erected in her hometown
wikidBSTN
I dunno – I think it is a strikingly good likeness.
Cam
I’ve heard good things about Slovenia, the only bad thing I could think of was that Melania was from there. So this seems to indicate that they feel the same way about her the majority of Americans do. Someone to ridicule.
Sidenote: I think the statue is too animated and lifelike to be Melania.
Kangol2
Oh the inhumanity. Poor Melanie. Maybe the arsonist was trying and failed to say her time in the limelight was about to go up in smoke, though the idea is a good one.
Harley
It most likely self immolated.
toddlicious
It looks about as a wooden and stiff as her face and personality, oh and her soul is probably as charred and burnt as it is now
dougie
Is her statue giving the ol’ Heil Donald salute there?
bachy
All the confederate statuary is being removed.
Pii
Its my opinion that Brad Downey knew exactly what he was doing when he commissioned the sculpture. I suspect he knew public opinion would be divided on the sculpture and that “something” would eventually happen to it. Now the “motivated” alteration to the sculpture has elevated it from barely qualifying as folk art to a piece of conceptual political high art. I bet you it is soon sold to a gallery or a private collector for a substantial chunk of change.
Henreid
I’m just hoping that a living tree wasn’t cut down to sculpt that abomination.
MISTERJETT
is this the first statue erected in honor of a porn actress? “erected” get it??? LOL!!!!!! sorry, it just came to me. “came” get it?? sorry again!!!!
ScottOnEarth
Too bad. It had more personality than the real THING.
D_Bro
Saddest part is that a tree had to die for this monstrosity. I did better “statues” when I was in my 2nd grade art class.
fredk
I don’t see the resemblance. maybe without clothes it would be easier to recognize.
WSnyder
I think someone innocently put a Bible at the base of the statue and it simply burst into flames.
o.codone
They burned it down b/c it was a monstrosity.
Invader7
What a CRUNT… She looks like a really mean ole hag !!