From Harry Kane’s bronze statue resembling a comic strip character to Miami’s Dwyane Wade sculpture bearing a closer resemblance to Laurence Fishburne, modern commemorative statues of athletes often spark more debate than admiration. These artistic missteps are part of a growing list that includes the infamous 2017 Cristiano Ronaldo bust, which gave the soccer star a round face and awkward grin, and Mohamed Salah’s 2018 statue, noted for its comically oversized head. Even Andy Murray laughed at his 2011 terracotta warrior statue in Shanghai, joking that he thought he was better-looking.
A Shift in Sculptural Expectations
Lucy Branch, a London-based sculptural conservator, explains this trend in the context of historical art. In classical times, accuracy was far from the goal. Sculptures were often reused, with plaques simply swapped to honor new individuals.
Today, the expectation that statues should closely resemble their subjects is a relatively modern phenomenon. “There’s this idea now… that commemorative sculpture should be like portraiture,” Branch notes, emphasizing that this demand for realism is a departure from the artistic practices of the past.
A Balancing Act for Artists
Modern sculptors face the challenging task of meeting public expectations while avoiding the pitfalls of unintentional caricature. As these examples highlight, even slight deviations in proportion or expression can turn homage into humor, making the art of capturing an athlete’s essence more daunting than ever.
