Statue of Robert Mugabe
ArtistDominic Benhura
Year2016 (2016)
SubjectRobert Mugabe
Dimensions3.7 m (12 ft)
LocationState House, Harare, Zimbabwe

The Statue of Robert Mugabe is a 12-foot-high (3.7 m) springstone statue of the former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe located at State House in Harare. Made by the Zimbabwean sculptor Dominic Benhura, it was unveiled in 2016 but was subject to criticism and mockery for its design.[1]

Background

Mugabe had been Prime Minister and later President of Zimbabwe since the country transitioned from Rhodesia and gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1980. In 2016, Mugabe asked for a statue to be made of himself and asked local sculptor Dominic Benhura to craft it out of springstone using chisels and sandpaper.[2] It took Benhura six months to sculpt it.[3] The statue consists of a 12-foot (3.7 m) figure of Mugabe with his fist in the air. It was revealed at State House in September 2016.[3]

Reaction

Upon the statue's unveiling by Mugabe, it received criticism and mockery from around the world.[4] A number of commentators accused it of looking like "Superman taking off drunk" or characters from The Simpsons.[5][6] Others viewed it as following a convention of dictators ordering the erection of statues of themselves.[6]

The sculptor responded to the criticism by saying it was done in his style, of which Mugabe knew, and was not a mockery.[7] Mugabe said he liked it and called for respect for the sculptor who had made it after inspecting another statue of himself that he had commissioned.[3][8] This came after it was revealed Mugabe had spent $5 million on two more statues of himself made in North Korea to be erected after his death.[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ Muzari, Godwin (12 September 2016). "Benhura speaks on President's statue". The Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "Twitter mocks Mugabe's new statue". The Citizen. 11 September 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Mugabe, Tendai (10 September 2016). "Appreciate artists, says President". The Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  4. ↑ Laing, Aislinn (11 September 2016). "Robert Mugabe unveils new statue of himself as Zimbabwe endures economic crisis". Telegraph. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "L'étrange statue en l'honneur de Robert Mugabe" (in French). Jeune Afrique. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  6. 1 2 "People Can't Stop Laughing At This Ridiculous Statue Of Robert Mugabe". Buzzfeed News. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "Robert Mugabe statue: Zimbabwe sculptor denies mocking president". BBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Robert Mugabe loves this statue of himself. Everyone else thinks it's ridiculous". The Washington Post. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Mugabe's memorial statues gather dust in Pyongyang". The Times. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "North Korea Bags $5 Million for Building Two Mugabe Statues". Bloomberg. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2021.

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