Importance Score: 52 / 100 🔵
Melania Trump Statue Vanishes: A Bizarre Heist in Slovenia
A bronze statue dubbed “Melania,” erected on the banks of the Sava River in July 2020, months prior to the former First Lady’s departure from the White House, has disappeared from its location in her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia. The Melania Trump statue, a public art piece, has been the subject of controversy since its unveiling.
Undignified Exit for First Lady Likeness
Just four months after Melanija Knavs, formerly Melania Trump, concluded her residency at the White House, the towering effigy has apparently met an abrupt and unceremonious end. Only the feet and the supporting two-meter tree stump remain at the site.
A Wes Anderson-esque Mystery
The situation evokes the quirky scenarios often seen in the films of US director Wes Anderson, known for their bizarre heists. However, the saga of the ill-fated Melania Trump statue is a unique case, even by his standards.
History Repeats Itself: Another Melania Tribute Destroyed
This is not the first incident involving a tribute to Melania Trump in Sevnica.
- The initial wood-carved Melania Trump statue, created by local artisan Ales “Maxi” Zupevc, was unveiled in July 2019.
- After a year, it was destroyed in an act of vandalism, becoming a bonfire on the Fourth of July.
Thankfully, US artist Brad Downey, who commissioned the original wooden statue, had made a cast. The statue was recast in bronze and returned to its former location.
Durability Concerns Prove Unfounded
At the unveiling of the bronze replacement, Downey expressed confidence that the new version was designed to be “as solid as possible, out of a durable material which cannot be wantonly destroyed.”
However, the statue was cut at the ankles and removed.
Local authorities are investigating, treating the disappearance of “Melania” as a case of theft.
Political Undertones and Mixed Reactions
Downey has consistently maintained that his work carries political weight. He selected Maxi as a collaborator because of their shared upbringing with the former First Lady.
Downey argued that Melania Trump received expedited US citizenship, while other immigrants faced challenges under her husband’s immigration policies.
Now, he speculates the statue’s vanishing “has something to do with Trump getting re-elected,” suggesting a politically motivated act.
Local Sentiment in Sevnica
Local authorities in Sevnica have expressed mixed sentiments.
- They condemned “any form of interference with private or public property.”
- However, they also stated that “the image of the US First Lady was not something anyone was proud of.”
The continued presence of the Melania Trump statue and its representation of the former First Lady remain a complicated subject for residents of Sevnica.