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A life-size sculpture of the US First Lady has been unveiled in her hometown in Slovenia, drawing mixed reactions from locals and the Internet.
Melania Trump's likeness was carved from the trunk of a linden tree, using a chainsaw. It shows her in the outfit she wore at her husbands, President Trump's, inauguration.
The piece has been commissioned by Berlin-based American artist Brad Downey and created by a local chainsaw sculptor Ales Zupevc. It has been unveiled on the outskirts of Sevnica, Melania Trump's hometown which has a population of less than 5,000.
The sculpture is typical of the local art style from the region, but some couldn't find the resemblance to Melania they were looking for in the statue.
The statue was unveiled in Melania Trump's home town in Slovenia. Source: Getty Images
Locals who saw it for the first time on Friday told ITV news they weren't impressed: "It doesn't look anything like Melania. It's a Smurfette. It's a disgrace."
Resident Franc Stopar said despite the sculptor spending days making the statue, it doesn't look like Melania.
"He (the sculptor) worked a long time on this, I think it took him three days to make it. He did it all using a chainsaw, and that's what made it hard to make it. And she does not look as beautiful as she normally is," Mr Stopar told newswire Reuters.
Another resident was pleased with the symbolism of the work.
The statue depicts the First Lady at her husband's inauguration. Source: Getty Images
"You know what makes her resemble Melania? Look at how high she climbed to the top, just like real Melania, who rose to the top of America. A little girl from Sevnica. Hats off to her,” Sevnica resident Katarina Klenovsek told newswire Reuters.
Twitter had a turn at reviewing the sculpture, with one social media user drawing likeness between the statue and an infamous 2012 art restoration in Spain.
Another found a similarity between the statue and a popular childhood TV program.
Should we make a game out of this?
These Twitter users “literally couldn’t”.
