Wood-Carved Statue Of Melania Trump In Her Slovenian Hometown Sparks Outcry, Comparisons To ‘Smurfette’

A new monument of Melania Trump has been built in her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, and its creators are calling it the first public statue in commemoration of her. The idea came to Brad Downey, an artist from Kentucky, who commissioned Sevnica local and “amateur chainsaw sculptor” Ales “Maxi” Zupevc to carve it. According to Downeys Instagram, the statue will be the subject of a documentary and exhibition he is working on.

The statue depicts the First Lady on Inauguration Day in 2017, wearing a blue dress designed by Ralph Lauren and waving at crowds. Zupevc took to a tree and carved the statue with a chainsaw.

Critics have mocked the statue, comparing it to a scarecrow.

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“I can understand why people might think that this falls short as a description of her physical appearance,” Downey told AFP.

“We in Sevnica can only laugh and, at the same time, hold our heads in our hands over the Trumps’ catastrophic reputation,” one local resident identified as Nika, a 24-year-old architecture student, told AFP. Other locals that spoke with the British TV network ITV, described the statue as ” a disgrace,” and argued it looked more like Smurfette than the First Lady.

Residents have also sold Melania Trump-themed food and merchandize.