The bronze statue of Melania Trump, created by American artist Brad Downey, has gone missing from her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, just months after the First Lady left the White House. Unveiled in September 2020 and situated by the River Sava, this larger-than-life statue now only has its feet and a two-meter tree stump left behind.
This isn't the first eerie incident involving a Melania tribute in Sevnica. The original wooden carving by artist Ales "Maxi" Zupevc was ignited in a Fourth of July bonfire in 2019, but Downey had already made a bronze version to replace it. Upon its unveiling, Downey emphasized that this new sculpture was meant to be more durable against vandalism. Yet, it appears that someone managed to sever it at the ankles and take it away.
Local police have launched an investigation treating the statue's disappearance as theft, while Brad Downey speculates that the act might be linked to political tensions surrounding Trump's potential re-election. The local authorities expressed mixed feelings about the statue, stating that they oppose interference with property but also acknowledged that the image of the First Lady does not evoke pride among locals.
This isn't the first eerie incident involving a Melania tribute in Sevnica. The original wooden carving by artist Ales "Maxi" Zupevc was ignited in a Fourth of July bonfire in 2019, but Downey had already made a bronze version to replace it. Upon its unveiling, Downey emphasized that this new sculpture was meant to be more durable against vandalism. Yet, it appears that someone managed to sever it at the ankles and take it away.
Local police have launched an investigation treating the statue's disappearance as theft, while Brad Downey speculates that the act might be linked to political tensions surrounding Trump's potential re-election. The local authorities expressed mixed feelings about the statue, stating that they oppose interference with property but also acknowledged that the image of the First Lady does not evoke pride among locals.
