A life-sized statue of US First Lady Melania Trump is turning heads in her home country of Slovenia.
The chainsaw sculpture was carved from a tree next to the Sava River in the village of Rozno, around 8km from Mrs Trump's hometown of Sevnica.
It was commissioned by Brad Downey, a Berlin-based American artist, and sculpted by local folk artist Ales Zupevc.
The statue is dressed in the pale blue wraparound coat that Mrs Trump wore at her husband’s inauguration.
'I can understand why people might think that this falls short as a description of her physical appearance'. So says US conceptual artist, Brad Downey as his statue is unveiled in Melania Trump's home town of Sevnica. pic.twitter.com/d0cRCtFcSN
— Peter Edwards (@writesofway) July 5, 2019
Not everyone is best-pleased with the likeness however, with some locals labelling it a “scarecrow.”
One resident said: "It doesn't look anything like Melania... It's a Smurfette."
Another said: "It's not okay. It's a disgrace. That's what I have to say."
A life sized sculpture of US first-Lady Melania Trump unveiled in Slovenia. Image: Brad Downey/MGMLEven Mr Downey's gallery appeared unsure how to interpret the wooden FLOTUS when issuing a leaflet for the gallery.
"Perhaps we are simply trying vigorously to make sense of things that might only be a slapstick prank... who knows?" it read.
But Mr Downey defended his art work, insisting it was "absolutely beautiful".
He said he wanted to "have a dialogue with my country's political situation" and show Mrs Trump's status as an immigrant who is married to a man who has pledged to reduce immigration in the US.
Mr Zupevc was born in the same hospital in the same month as Mrs Trump and said the piece highlights the differences in their lives.
"Let's face it, she owns half of America, while I have nothing," he said.
