Lucille Ball; Celoron, NY
We all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and art is highly subjective, but have you seen some of the latest statues erected to honor some of today’s celebrities? Or should we say they were erected in the horror of the celebrities that looked at the sculptures and had to struggle not to laugh out loud! Creating a sculpture out of bronze or stone requires a fantastic skill, but this didn’t mean that the less-masterful artists stopped from creating the following “masterpieces.”
We’ve gathered a list of photos with some of the weirdest and ugliest statues of celebrities ever made. Wait until you see this statue that has been frightening people in Rio de Janeiro for some time – #4!
Nicknamed “Scary Lucy,” this 400-pound sculpture created by Dave Poulin had to be replaced by a better and normal looking Lucille that didn’t make children cry when they looked at her. The artist publicly apologized for his statue and offered to make another one for free, but the village was afraid to take another chance, so they had Palmer create another one.
Cristiano Ronaldo; Madeira, Portugal
When the international soccer star got home, the Madeira Airport was renamed Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo. The renaming was complete with this exquisite bronze bust. The uneven eyes and the goofy smirk definitely look like… who are we kidding? It doesn’t even look like a human being!
Did you think this is the only deformed monstrosity of this century? You couldn’t be more wrong – here’s another one at #13.
Oscar Wilde; Dublin, Ireland
The famous writer, Oscar Wilde was a man with great humor, but even though this statue embodies his flamboyant spirit and casual self, the double-chinned statue and the creepy grin on his face would not have made the man smile if he saw how he was honored.
Wait until you see the other creepy guy next…
David Bowie; Aylesbury, UK
This life-size statue was sculpted by Andrew Sinclair, and there were some positive and negative reactions, said promoter David Stopps who raised the money to help the sculptor create it:
“When you get something like this, people either love it or hate it. If people say ‘I hate it’ or ‘I absolutely love it,’ then you know it’s real art. That’s the definition of art.”
Kurt Cobain; Aberdeen, WA
Did Jesus get into grunge? Because this statue shows him playing the guitar and shedding a tear. This dreadful statue can be found in Kurt Cobain’s hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. The town declared a ‘Kurt Cobain Day’ on 20 February as a commemoration of their departed star. Not the best idea, for sure!
James Dean; Los Angeles, CA
Griffith Observatory has a bust of James Dean that looks more like the James Franco version, as it was built after his role in the movie ‘Rebel Without a Cause.’ The film helped the observatory get international recognition, so they had this bust placed between busts of Galileo and Isaac Newton. Although weird, this statue is not as creepy as this one at #5…
Elvis Presley; Jerusalem, Israel
Not everyone that wears leggings, a small vest and has a huge head is Elvis. And this Elvis-themed motel from Israel had no other idea than to honor America’s greatest singer with a huge gold statue. This skin-tight dressed robot is way too weird, but hey, it’s art… maybe.
Harry Caray; Chicago
The Chicago sportscaster Harry Caray surely annoyed someone when they made this terrible statue. The statue is still outside Wrigley Field in Chicago – “standing” there, with almost no legs – well, they’ve melted somewhere under the pool of heads. That is just too creepy!
Well, at least it’s not Tupac – in the prime of his youth…
Tupac; Stone Mountain, GA
Yes, you’re looking at the 40-year old guy wearing a suit and looking nothing like Tupac. The only moment that makes you think of the rapper is when you see his name on the plaque. Nope, no clue that this dapper guy was the rapper. This is not the worst statue on this list, but wait until you see the one at #2.
Jean-Claude Van Damme; Brussels, Belgium
Jean-Claude Van Damme was probably happy he had a statue in the Belgian capital. But this bronze statue looks like any other shirtless man with some muscles. There are no features to show the actor’s face. Nonetheless, there are some photos with him posing next to the statue…
Wayne Gretzky; Edmonton, Alberta
Is Gretzky’s statue trying to throw the Stanley Cup at someone? He doesn’t look too happy about the win, and he doesn’t even resemble the man! He looked like a cross between Gaston from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Ellen DeGeneres when she had longer hair!
Beckham, H&M
Could the creator of the David Beckham statue which is everywhere in H&M shops around the world make the statue look more like the soccer star and less like an exotic dancer? Why did they have to focus on the crotch as the centerpiece?
B.B. King; Montreux, Switzerland
No, B.B. King didn’t crawl out of a swamp and settle in Montreux, Switzerland! That’s his statue or excuse of a statue. The blues legend would be terrified if he lived to see this piece of… art.
Oh, here’s a golden dude with shoes and some bling-bling at #6.
Abraham Lincoln; Springfield, IL
Talking about gold…
You might have heard about George Washington’s wooden teeth but have you seen Lincoln’s gold nose? Here it is, and it’s on the ugliest statue we have ever seen. Thank God it’s just the head. Oh, did we say God? Here’s Jesus in the next photo!
Kanye West; Hollywood, CA
How many Kanye West statues are there is a question we would never be able to answer. But we know that there’s this one in gold with himself as Jesus, completed with a crown of thorns, some bling-bling, and a pair of shoes. Yeah, because that’s what a statue should look like.
Kate Moss; Oslo, Norway
Yes, it’s a weird way to imagine the supermodel and designer Kate Moss. Thinking of her as a contortionist wasn’t a thing until now. And believe it or not, but there is also a version of her in gold – REAL gold! The statue is called Siren, Sphinx and it was modeled after the celeb’s exact measurements.
Michael Jackson; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The King of Pop has been represented in many works of art – and there’s one tacky sculpture of him with his chimp Bubble in gold. But this terrifying piece has creeped us out, probably because it combines the creepy smile with the ripped t-shirt and the exposed nipples…
Martin Luther King, Jr.; Washington, D.C.
This Han Solo vibe given by the statue makes it a questionable choice. It is not the worst statue here, but it surely does not work with the man and the idea it represents.
Prepare to be amazed…
Steve Irwin; Queensland, Australia
What is more terrifying than seeing a crocodile approaching? This group of statues of the Irwin family at the Australia Zoo. We love the real ones, and the late Crocodile Hunter, but the statues don’t do them justice at all.
Marilyn Monroe; Savannah, GA
So, what is your favorite worst statue? Could it be this one that looks exactly like the famous diva? Sickly pale, with a wide grimace, and a mustard lump instead of her hair… She is the one we fell in love with, that’s for sure!