Tina Turner fans don’t hold back on new statue of the pop star: “I can’t look at it without laughing”
A stature in honor of music icon Tina Turner has been unveiled in her hometown in Tennessee - but has met with a savage response from internet users.
A new statue of Tina Turner has attracted widespread online derision in the wake of its unveiling in the iconic singer’s hometown in Tennessee.
Created by the sculptor Fred Ajanogha, the bronze statue was revealed on Saturday in Brownsville, as part of the city’s annual Tina Turner Heritage Days.
The artwork depicts Turner, best known for 1980s hits such as “The Best” and “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, in a characteristically assertive on-stage stance as she performs a song, microphone in hand.
The seven-foot-tall monument to Turner, who died in May 2023 at the age of 83, has been installed in Brownsville’s Heritage Park - a location close to the high school the “Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll” attended.
“More than a statue”
Speaking in June, Brownsville mayor William Rawls said: “This is more than a statue - it’s a story in bronze, a symbol of triumph, and a message to future generations that greatness can come from anywhere.”
Now the sculpture has been revealed, however, fans appear less enthused.
“Hopefully there is a return policy”
“Words fail,” one poster declared on X. “Great art does that, leaves you speechless. So does an abomination like this.” Another X user added: “I can’t look at it without laughing.”
“Let’s normalize refusing ugly statues and hiring someone else to start over,” said a further poster on X, while a commenter on Instagram agreed: “Hopefully there is a return policy on this thing.”
Celeb statue hall of shame
The Turner statue is merely the latest in a growing list of celebrity sculptures that have been subjected to incredulous social-media mockery in recent years. Other notable examples include:
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Mohamed Salah
- Lucille Ball
- Melania Trump
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