Throughout history, the tradition of constructing statues has persisted, with renowned examples like the Colossus at Rhodes and the Statue of Liberty standing as enduring symbols of human creativity. However, interspersed among these iconic monuments are a category of statues that elicit bewilderment. These peculiar creations defy comprehension and challenge the reasoning behind their existence.
The Child Eater, Bern, Switzerland
This seems needlessly terrible. In Bern, Switzerland, there is a structure from the 16th century known as the “Kindlifresserbrunnen” (literally, “Child Eater Fountain”). It is exactly as described; it has three additional babies in a sack for the road and looks to be shoving one into its mouth. The most alarming aspect of this sculpture is that nobody knows who made it or why; the general assumption is that it’s just an old carnival sculpture meant to scare children.
The Dream, St. Helens, England
The disembodied head, which stands 65 feet tall and adorns the English countryside outside of St. Helens, a historic mining town, was created by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. Since the head’s eyes are closed, it is conceivable that it is dreaming. The St. Helens City Council commissioned the artwork to “reflect the aspirations of the local community,” which have nothing to do with mining and everything to do with enormous, white, unsettling heads.
Hand of the Desert, Atacama, Chile
Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal designed this three-story high giant hand, we hope; otherwise, it might belong to a stone giant that is ever-so-slowly clawing its way through the surface of the Atacama Desert. Apparently, Mr Irarrázabal is a fan of giant hands rising from the desert, as he has built two similar sculptures in the US and Uruguay, though they are not as impressive in scale. But then, few giant stone hands are.
Ozymandias on the Plains, Texas, US
There is no connection between eccentric millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 (not III; he detests Roman numerals) and the South Park character. He paid the artist Lightning’ McDuff to produce this painting, which he did in 1997. It is ironically named after a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley that laments the pointlessness of erecting monuments.
Maman, Ottawa, Ontario
This sculpture was created by French-American artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois, and many of you won’t even be able to look at it. It is a 30-foot bronze spider with a bag containing 26 marble “eggs,” hence its name, which is slang for “mother.” In 1999, it was unveiled at the UK’s Tate Museum of Modern Art.
