10 most amazing statues from around the world
Modern painters and sculptors have long abandoned the idea that the statue must necessarily depict a beautiful woman or a tall man with a perfectly proportioned body. Sometimes it seems that the makers are competing to whose vision the most whimsical and bizarre – the only way to explain the appearance of statues in the form of giant spiders, poisonous red lobster or disgusting hares. Apparently, sculptors sincerely believe that their works adorn the modern city, so I will not criticize the flight of artistic ideas and just look at the strangest statues installed in different corners of the world – from Mongolia to Argentina.
1. “Truth”, Devon, United Kingdom
If you want to grab a gun when someone talks about contemporary art, the more likely you are already familiar with the works of British artist Damien Hirst and collector. Briton often criticized for controversial and shocking ideas that he embodies in his work – which is say, a tiger shark in a tank of formaldehyde, or platinum human skull encrusted with diamonds.
Despite the peculiar artistic means used by Hirst, his work still finds his fans – English resort Ilfracombe authorities decided that no one is better Hirst can not decorate their city, bringing on the promenade there was “Truth” – a 22-meter “allegory of truth and justice “(as he called it himself Hurst), depicting a pregnant woman with a sword in one hand and scales in the other. Most likely, the “Truth” would not have got into the list of strange statues, but for some reason it took the artist to “remove” the skin of a pregnant half – one side looks like a sculpture of a nude woman, while the other is more like an anatomical guide. This vision of the artist had not like many residents of Ilfracombe, who appealed to officials with a request to remove the statue, but the majority of citizens were in favor of it, so that “Verity” still stands.
2. “Giant Lamp”, Malmo, Sweden
Swedish city of Malmo attracts tourists not only for its unusually warm (by the standards of this northern country) climate and architecture, but also one of the most unusual monuments in the world – a huge 6-foot lamp that not only shines, as befits this lamp, but able to “talk”.
During the year, the lamp “travels” on various streets and squares of the city, but every Christmas always comes back to the original place of installation – the square Lilla Torg.
3. Monument enema Zheleznovodsk, Russia
Zheleznedovsk resorts have long been famous for its mineral springs and the stunning beauty of nature, but who would have thought that the locals have expressed love for his hometown of erecting monuments enema!
Giant bronze medical instrument, which is supported by three cherub, set within one of the resorts. The authors of the monument Svetlana Avakov Begalov and David argue that the idea of appearance statues prompted them immortal masterpiece by Sandro Botticelli “Venus and Mars”. Probably only the enlightened mind of the artist can perceive the connection between the huge enema and great Italian cloth, nevertheless, a monument quickly became one of the main attractions of the city and tourists enjoy taking pictures with him.
4. Monument Sigmund Freud, Prague, Czech Republic
Imagine – you walk around Prague, enjoying the beautiful architecture and narrow streets inexpressible atmosphere of the ancient capital of the Czech Republic, and suddenly see a person who caught on hand for the metal pin, hanging at a great height and no signs of life. If you are not familiar with the art objects of Prague, most likely the first thought is to call the police, where a good-natured laugh at you and tell you that “hanging man” – not that other, as a Monument to a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud for the authorship of the famous Czech sculptor David Black.
Monument metaphorically depicts the struggle of the great scientist with their own phobias and fear of death, as well as the isolation of intellectuals from the people.
5. “Big Lobster”, Kingston, South Australia
Australian residents are experiencing a strange statues inexplicable love – take at least a monument located in Melbourne Vice-Governor of Victoria, Charles La Trobe, which the sculptor put literally upside down, a monument to the wallet in the same city or monument in the form of an ax in the state of New South Wales.
Huge lobster about 20 m high, 15 m wide and 17 m length of almost installed near one of the restaurants in Kingston, unusual even by the standards of Australian cultural traditions antipodes. Despite the obvious grotesqueness and fussiness sculptures, lobster is popular with local residents, they even called him Larry – in Australian English name equivalent treatment “sir.”
6. “Hare”, Nuremberg, Germany
Sculpture, installed in an old German town in 1984, the year – probably one of the strangest monuments of the famous painter and engraver Albrecht Dürer.
Evil monster “lurking” in front of the house-museum of the artist, vaguely reminiscent of a cute fluffy rabbit with drawings done by Dürer in the early XVI-th century. Apparently, in order to emphasize the contrast between the hare and Durer monster in modern avant-garde style, the artist placed near his little hare, but rather an exact copy of the animal shown great native of Nuremberg.
7. “Floralis Henerika”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Under this name hides a beautiful not too nice looking 18-ton flower of aluminum and steel, the capital of Argentina presented by architect Eduardo Catalano. Despite the weird proportions of this metal “plants” height of about 23 m, at certain hours to watch the “flower” is quite interesting – in the dark of its “petals” are closed and opened at sunrise, moreover, night sculpture radiates several ominous red light, reminiscent of a secret weapon villains from the comic.
According to Eduardo, sculpture represents “hope, eternal spring and all life on our planet.” Eyewitnesses claim that even if you know about the plan of the architect, when you look at the statue still seems that the center of the “flower” in the sky is about to hit the laser beam.
8. Monument René de Chalon Bar-le-Duc, France
One small church of French cities is virtually no different dozens of other Catholic churches – crosses, statues of saints, paintings – all set the standard tourist attractions. However, there is in the Church of Bar-le-Duc monument, which is surprising and even shocking is not versed in the history Fratsii visitors – in one of the niches of the temple is installed semi-decomposed corpse … clutching in his hand solemnly stretched up his heart.
Statue dedicated to René de Chalon, Prince of Orange, who lived in the XVI-th century. According to legend, the young man felt that dies when he is not even 30 and bequeathed to portray on the tombstone, as it will look like in three years after his death. Premonition has not let the young man – one of the campaigns 25-year-old prince received fatal gunshot wound and died some time later, after which the sculptor Ligier Richer had only to do the will of the deceased. His stunningly accurate in terms of anatomy work for more than 400 years, the church makes visitors feel somehow uncomfortable – in fact, more like a sculpture would fit the anatomical museum, or hospital, but not the temple of God.
9. Statue of Genghis Khan, Tsonzhin-Boldog, Mongolia
Within an hour’s drive from the Mongolian capital of monstrous size is graven image, which is desert steppe looks as strange as if the Statue of Liberty hoisted the middle of a lunar landscape.
Genghis Khan riding a horse lover, and quietly menacing looks on land held by its historical prototype, as if hinting that none of the rulers of ancient and modern times is not equal to the founder of the Mongol Empire in the majesty and political weight. Sculpture sheathed stainless steel, and its height is 40 meters, not counting the 10-meter pedestal – it is not surprising that the monument is considered the largest equestrian statue in the world.
10. “Mother”, Ottawa, Canada
On the notorious “artist look” – if the word “mother” you immediately appears with a brood of young spider, works of American sculptor Louise Bourgeois certainly going to your taste.
Since its first appearance in public in the year 1999, at an event in «Tate Museum of Modern Art» – British contemporary art gallery, “spiders” Bourgeois had raspolztis worldwide. One of the largest statues of its kind established in the Canadian city of Ottawa, is a bronze spider over 9 meters in height and 26 spider eggs from marble. Other “spider” sculpture, smaller size, are part of several traveling exhibitions of the artist, which means soon one of “Mother” and can visit your city.