The world's strangest statues and sculptures

[jw5]

The world's strangest statues and sculptures​

With all the traditional statues you can find in almost any town or city in the world, there are always some that completely stand out from the norm. They might be surprising or totally strange, but they're far from boring and will catch the attention of anyone passing by.

 

[jw5]

De Vaartkapoen​

Inaugurated in 1985 in Brussels, the scene depicts a man emerging from a hole and pulling the feet from underneath a policeman. It’s by Belgian sculptor Tom Frantzen.

 

[jw5]

Device to Root out Evil​

This controversial church sculpture is by American artist Dennis Oppenheim, and it was initially supposed to be in New York. But it was seen as inappropriate and was installed in Calgary, Canada, until 2014. Now it's located in Mallorca, Spain.

 

[jw5]

Hand of the Desert​

This large-scale sculpture of a hand is located in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Inaugurated in 1992 by the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, the impressive hand is 36 ft (11 m) high.

 

[jw5]

Babies​

A series of sculptures by Czech artist David Černý, they can be found on the island of Kampa in Prague. The creepy babies are made of bronze and have their faces replaced with bar codes.

 

[bobby]

 

[jw5]

Traffic Light Tree​

Created by the French sculptor Pierre Vivant, this public sculpture is located on a roundabout in London. Be careful not to mistake it for a real traffic light!

 

[jw5]

Cloud Gate​

Nicknamed 'the Bean,' this sculpture has since 2006 been a famous landmark for Chicago. Created by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, the Bean reflects the city's skyline.

 

[jw5]

Engagement​

Also by American artist Dennis Oppenheim, this piece is of two engagement rings, representing how marriage requires a balance between two people. It was installed in 2005 in Vancouver, Canada.

 

[jw5]

The Headington Shark​

The Headington Shark is a rooftop sculpture located in Oxford, England. It was created in 1986 by sculptor John Buckley and caused a lot of controversy at the time with the local council. Today it's celebrated, and you can even rent the house on Airbnb.

 

[jw5]

Le Passe-Muraille​

This unusual sculpture is located in the Paris neighborhood of Montmartre. The man embedded in the wall is based on the short story 'The passer-through-walls' (1941) by French writer Marcel Aymé.

 

[jw5]

The Planet​

Also known as Floating Baby, this sculpture is located in a park in Singapore. Created by British sculptor Marc Quinn, the baby is a representation of his son.

 

[jw5]

Statue of Franz Kafka​

This Franz Kafka statue was inaugurated by Czech artist Jaroslav Róna in 2003. Located in the Jewish quarter of Prague, the statue depicts Kafka riding on a headless figure, in reference to the short story 'Description of a Struggle' (1912).

 

[jw5]

Viaje Fantástico​

Located in Havana, Cuba, is this peculiar statue of a woman on a rooster with a big fork. Installed in 2012 by Cuban artist Roberto Fabelo, some believe that the statue is a tribute to the long history of prostitution in Havana.

 

[jw5]

Floralis Genérica​

Created in 2002 by Eduardo Catalano, this steel and aluminum sculpture is located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. What makes it so special is that the flower automatically opens and closes the petals depending on the time of the day.

 

[jw5]

Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat​

Located in Reykjavik, Iceland, is this statue sculpted by Magnús Tómasson in 1994. With a big piece of volcanic basalt on the head and torso, it's unknown if this piece is a tribute to or a satire of civil servants.

 

[jw5]

Man Hanging Out​

This sculpture is actually of Sigmund Freud hanging over Prague. Created in 1996 by David Černý, the work is a statement about intellectualism in the 20th century, and Černý’s uncertainty about it.

 

[jw5]

Le Pouce​

Located in Paris is the statue of a thumb, symbolizing good luck. An unusual tourist attraction for the city, the piece was created in 1965 by artist César Baldaccini.

 

[jw5]

Charging Bull and Fearless Girl​

For years, Charging Bull (by Arturo Di Modica) was standing alone, depicting the fearlessness of Wall Street. That was until Fearless Girl (by Kristen Visbal) was installed in 2017. Fearless Girl was constructed to send a message of workplace gender inequality in male-dominated Wall Street.

 

[jw5]

Mustangs of Las Colinas Texas​

Installed in 1984, Mustangs of Las Colinas Texas is a bronze sculpture in Irving, Texas, by Robert Glen. It portrays a group of nine wild mustang horses running through a watercourse.