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Rustic Sculpture of Melania Trump Unveiled Near Slovenian Hometown

Reuters

   ROZNO, SLOVENIA - A life-size rough wooden sculpture of U.S. first lady
   Melania Trump was unveiled Friday near her hometown of Sevnica in
   southeastern Slovenia.

   Commissioned by Berlin-based American artist Brad Downey and carved
   with a chainsaw by local folk artist Ales Zupevc, the statue serves as
   a -- perhaps wry -- accompaniment to Downey's exhibition in the capital
   Ljubljana exploring Melania's roots in the small Alpine country.

   The blocky, rustic figure was cut from the trunk of a living linden
   tree -- whose base forms a tall plinth -- in a field beside the Sava
   River in the village of Rozno, 8 km (5 miles) from Sevnica.

   There is no attempt at an accurate likeness, to the point where the
   gallery in Ljubljana appears uncertain how seriously to take the
   statue.

   "Perhaps we are simply trying vigorously to make sense of things that
   might only be a slapstick prank," it says in a leaflet. "Who knows?"

   Although the statue's face is rough-hewn and unrecognizable, the figure
   is shown clothed in the pale blue wraparound coat that Melania wore at
   Donald Trump's inauguration as U.S. president.

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