I’m sure you remember when an Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi hurled his shoes at George W. Bush last month during a Baghdad press conference, causing quite a stir in the media all around the world. This act was extremely powerful in Arab culture, where throwing shoes at someone is a sign of extreme contempt.
Well now al-Zeidi has inspired a work of art. This sofa-sized copper-coated shoe sculpture sits atop a stand carved to resemble flowing cloth. It was unveiled to the public yesterday in the hometown of the late Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein. It’s impressive, no?
The Baghdad-based artist, Laith al-Amari, said the work has no political meaning; it is purely a tribute to the journalist and “a source of pride for all Iraqis.” The sculpture also includes an ode to al-Zeidi and mentions the virtues of being “able to tell the truth out loud.” You can read more about this sculpture on Yahoo! News.
So, what do you make of this sculpture?
Picture from bbc.co.uk
