The life size statue of Melania erected on the outskirts of Sevnica was inaugurated on Friday, according to The Guardian. The statue was carved into a tree using a chainsaw by conceptual artist Brad Downey who said it is the first monument anywhere dedicated to the US President’s wife. The tree sculpture depicts Melania wearing a blue dress and waving her left hand like she did at her husband Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration.
Some people have branded the statue a “scarecrow” due to its simplicity.
Mr Downey told AFP: “I can understand why people might think that this falls short as a description of her physical appearance.”
However, he also said he found the statue “absolutely beautiful”.
But not everyone has taken a liking to the new statue.
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A local resident said: “If the monument was meant to be a parody, then the artist has been successful.
“We in Sevnica can only laugh and, at the same time, hold our heads in our hands over their the Trumps’ catastrophic reputation.”
Other locals have described the statue as “a disgrace” and said it looked more like a Smurf than the First Lady.
Another resident of a nearby town called Rozno said she thought the statue was a “good idea”.
She said: “Melania is a Slovenian hero, she made it to the top in the US.”
Since Trump became president, Sevnica has become a magnet for tourists and journalists wanting an insight into Melania’s past.
Locals have even been cashing in on her fame by offering Melania branded food and merchandise as well as offering tours of the local area showing where she grew up.
Mr Downey came up with the idea as party of a project exploring the first lady’s Slovenian roots.
He commissioned local artist Ales Zupevc to carve the sculpture.