A wooden sculpture of first lady Melania Trump was set aflame on the Fourth of July in her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia.
“I want to know why they did it,” Brad Downey, the Berlin-based American artist who commissioned the sculpture, told Reuters on Wednesday.
Downey said he had hoped the statue would foster a dialogue about Melania Trump’s status as an immigrant married to a president who has hard-line immigration policies. He added that he filed a police report about the incident and that he wants to interview the culprits if they’re found for a film he’s preparing ahead of his exhibition, which is due to open in Slovenia in September.
Local police said they are investigating the case but are not yet able to provide any details.
The sculpture was carved by local folk artist Ales Zupevc from a tree trunk. The figure is wearing a bright blue coat similar to the one the first lady wore at President Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
Statues, monuments, and memorials have been targeted around the world in recent weeks amid demonstrations against systemic racism. The president signed an executive order aimed at protecting statues across the country from vandals late last month.
