The world is filled with beautiful pieces of artwork, and some are not as beautiful
as the Mona Lisa or as intricate as the Sistine Chapel. Today we’re looking at 15 of the
Strangest Sculptures on Earth.
15. Le Pouce, Paris
This statue, literally translated to “The Thumb,” is located in Paris. It was created
by Cesar Baldaccini in 1965 and stands over 40 feet tall, weighing in more than 18 tons.
This sculpture is a replica of Baldaccini’s own thumb and fingerprint, and the most famous
version of it is in a business park called La Defense. Baldaccini is known for his avant
garde work and has another installation in Epinal, France, called Victory. It depicts
his own first and second fingers making a “V” shape. Both sculptures were made by
an instrument called a pantograph which allows reproducing volumes at any scale while maintaining
the proportions between the original and its copy.
14. Charles La Trobe
Created by Melborn sculptor Charles Robb, this statue is 16 feet tall and is officially
a landmark at La Trobe University. La Trobe was the first lieutenant-governor of the Colony
of Victoria, established in 1851. He helped improve the water supply - established various
institutions including the State University and Royal Melbourne Hospital. So why is this
statue upside down? The sculptor was trying to challenge traditional commemoration and
use of public monuments to historical figures. Some observers have joked that the statue
is upside down as La Trobe is more well-known in England, and from the English perspective,
the monument is right side up.
13. Tiger And The Turtle Magic Mountain
At first glance, this looks like an average everyday roller coaster complete with a loop-de-loop,
but with further inspection, there are steps instead of a cart. This sculpture is made
of 249 steps and lights up at night, giving the observer a brand new perspective. Unfortunately
the laws of physics won’t allow you to walk the loop, but you can enjoy walking at a turtle’s
pace while imagining the speed of a tiger. Designed by German artists Keike Mutter and
Ulrich Genth, the 69-foot (21 meter) roller coaster sits on top of a hill in Duisburg,
Germany.
12. Headington Shark
Headington Shark, or properly named, Untitled 1986, is a large painted fiberglass shark
stuck headfirst into the roof of a building. The piece was to be a statement piece about
nuclear power, Chernobyl, and Nagasaki. The house belonged to Bill Heine, a local radio
host, and was converted into an AirBnB in 2018. Not everyone thinks it’s an art installation.
One Oxford resident says that the zoning laws in that part of the city prohibited T.V. antennae
above a certain height, but not art. So they believe that Heine installed the shark to
cover up an illegal antenna installation.
11. Cadillac Ranch
Outside outside of Amarillo, TX, lies an installation created by helium millionaire Stanley Marsh
III, the Cadillac Ranch. It features 10 upside down cars buried halfway and angled to the
west. This homage to America’s hopes and dreams, art and commerce, materialism, and
spiritualism, folly and fame. It was relocated in 1997 to avoid the expansion of the city.
The cars are covered in graffiti, which was once looked down upon but now is greatly encouraged.
It has been used in many music videos and commercials, including “Living In America”
by James Brown and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” by Cage the Elephant.
10. Le Passe-Muraille
The Passer Through Walls is an homage to a famous French Novel which displays the tragic
ending where a man with the ability to phase through walls finds himself caught halfway
through the wall after a streak of roguish shenanigans. The story begins with a man getting
a new boss at work who makes it unbearable. Some time later, the man discovers he can
walk through walls and his life changes forever. He begins by taking revenge on his boss but
then branches out to petty theft. He soon becomes a rich man and is arrested to earn
celebrity status. He breaks out and continues his spree. One day he has a headache and takes
what he thinks is aspirin. In reality, it’s a medicine a doctor had prescribed earlier
in the story, and the medicine takes effect, trapping the man in the wall forever. This
statue may not be famous to the rest of the world, but its infamy lives on within Montmartre.
9. The Fork Vevey
This 26ft (8m) tall and 929-pound fork stainless steel fork is located just off the shore of
Lake Geneva, Switzerland. It is part of the Alimentarium, or museum of food, that is in
conjunction with Nestle’s History. It was installed in 1995 to commemorate the 10 year
anniversary of the museum, and was moved shortly after. In 2007, a petition was signed to confirm
the desire to have the fork reinstated, and was granted in 2008. The Fork has held the
Guinness Book of World Records Title for Largest Fork since 2014. Since then, there have been
other giant forks including the new record holder at 12 meters (40 feet) in Creede, Colorado.
8. Floating Faucet Fountain
There are many Floating Faucets around the world with the most famous located in Spain.
It is a clever sculpture that gives the viewer the illusion that the faucet is floating in
mid-air. The effect is created by a clear plastic tube that holds the tap in place while
at the same time feeds water from below and pushes it through the top. Some installations
are permanent while others are temporary. Some of these Faucets are in Puerto De Santa
Maria, Spain, Hampton Court Palace, London, Ripley Museum in Ocean City, Maryland, Olivenza,
Spain, Menorca, Spain, Ypres, Belgium, Wisconsin, USA, Grand Bend, Canada, and Skegness, England.
7. Carhenge
Jim Reinders wanted to recreate Stonehenge after studying it in England. In 1987, his
dream became a reality. 39 automobiles were placed in the same proportions as Stonehenge
with the diameter measuring approximately 96 feet or 29m. This sculpture, located in
Alliance, Nebraska, has some cars buried about 5 feet or 1.5m trunk down with other cars
set across the top and welded together. It was dedicated on the Summer Solstice 1987
in memoriam to Reinders’ father. The family gathered 35 strong and began building. Reinders
donated the 10 acres of land where Carhenge is located to the Friends of Carhenge who
have preserved it until 2013 when Friends of Carhenge gifted the site to the Citizens
of Alliance.
6. Good King Wenceslas
Hanging from the ceiling of the Art Nouveau Lucerna Palace in Prague, King Wenceslas rides
gallantly on a horse. But there’s something odd about this horse: it doesn’t seem to
be alive. Created by local Czech artist, David Cerny, a well-known artist known for his surrealism
pieces, this piece is said to be mocking the more famous King-turned-Saint statue in the
Wenceslas Square. Wenceslas was the Duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in
935 and his martyrdom landed him a sainthood. It’s hard to truly say what this statement
piece really means as Cerny doesn’t comment on his work.
5. Man Attacked By Babies
In the city of Oslo, Norway sits a sculpture park containing the culmination of 20 years
of work by artist Gustav Vigeland. One of the strangest sculptures of the 212 in the
park is Man Attacked by Genii. It depicts a man fighting, or is it shaking off - regardless,
there are 5 infants seeming to be attacking a fully grown man. Some say the infants aren’t
human, but rather Genii, supernatural creatures in Arabian lore. The statue leaves it’s
audience slightly confused and sometimes incredibly offended. There isn’t a set definition for
what this statue represents, but it still makes the observer think.
4. Man Hanging Out
Another thought provoking sculpture in Prague made by David Cerny. A Man Hanging Out, is
actually a piece that is a depiction of Sigmund Freud. From a distance, the statue looks like
a real person causing a few palpitations throughout the observers. It’s said that this installment
is a statement about intellectualism in the 20th century and Cerny’s uncertainty about
it. That’s what I call a Freudian slip. This sculpture became so popular, they recreated
it in London, Berlin, Rotterdam and Chicago.
3. Sacro Bosco
The Sacro Bosco, or Sacred Garden, or Park of the Monsters, is located in Lazio, Italy.
This ghoulish park was commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini in 1552 as a way of
dealing with the grief of his wife’s passing. Orsini spent several years as a prisoner of
war in Germany following a military campaign in 1553. He was unfortunately captured, and
shortly after his release from prison, Orsini’s beloved wife, Giulia Farnese, passed away.
The most prominent figure is the mouth of Orcus, god of the underworld. It has the words
“Every Thought Flies” written above it to remind the visitors that their voice carries
back to the outside. Some of the statues within the park include over two dozen works, including
dragons, Hannibal’s elephant, Grecco/Roman gods, and a tilted house. The intent of the
park is to make the visitor feel closer to the sensations of grief and anguish associated
with loss.
2. Mano Del Desierto
In the Atacama Desert in Chile, stands a 36 foot (11 meter) tall statue called Mano del
Desierto, or Hand of the Desert. This sculpture was created by Chilean artist Mario Irarrazabal
in the 1980s. Its exaggerated size is said to emphasize human vulnerability and helplessness.
This statue is made of concrete and iron and while it’s miles away from the nearest town,
it’s subject to vandalization to the point that the town gathers volunteers to clean
it once a month. It’s located about 60 km or 37 miles to the south and east of the city
of Antofagasta, on the Panamerican Highway.
1. Kindlifresserbrunnen
Originally called the Platzbrunnen or Plaza Fountain, Kindlifresserbrunnen, literally
translated to Fountain of Eater of Little Children, was built in 1546. The meaning behind
this fountain has been lost to the years, but one thing is certain: it is an imposing
figure of a beast that is eating children. The fountain is sometimes said to be a depiction
of Kronos from Greek mythos, who was afraid of his children usurping him, so he ate them;
all but Zeus perished. Others say it might be the Christmas demon Krampus who punishes
naughty children. The bottom of the statue shows an army of bears marching to battle.
Have you seen any of these statues in person? Maybe there’s an even stranger statue that
we should have included? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, thanks for
watching!