Statues have been around almost as long as human civilization. Theyre monuments to our achievements, and sometimes theyre achievements in and of themselves. They speak for entire cultures, sometimes after those cultures are long dead. And sometimes, just sometimes, they seem to be spawned directly from the most primal of our deepest, darkest nightmares. These statues and sculptures are unsettling at best, and theyre a glimpse into the bizarre psyches of some of the people we share this planet with.
10Man Attacked By Babies Vigeland Park
Standing in the middle of Bern, Switzerland, is a fountain sculpture that isnt just disturbingits a mystery. Although we know it was built in 1546, we dont know why anyone would build a statue depicting a huge ogre in the middle of eating one baby, with a sack full of others; judging by the terrified expressions on their faces, they know theyre next. There are a few theories as to the meaning of the statue. One is that its supposed to be Khronosthe Greek titan who was told that his children would one day kill him, so he ate them all in a futile attempt to preserve his own life. Another is that the figure is actually Berns founder, who had a lifelong rivalry with his younger brother and was said to be driven mad by itso mad that he took his anger out on the towns children. (Theres absolutely no official record of anything like this actually happening.) Another theory is that the statue was built as a warning, either reminding the citys children what happened to those that were naughty, or alternately a warning to the citys Jews. Whether or not it was originally meant as a warning, were pretty sure its a successful one.
8Zwerglgarten The Dwarf Garden
Walking through the lush green fields and forests of Ireland, one of the last things you might expect to stumble upon is a statue of a skeletal Buddha. Or another, of a child crawling out of the ground, trying to free itself from a rotting, skeletal fist. Or a man slicing himself down the middle . . . or how about another skeletal figure, draped in rags, eternally standing in swampy muck, and clearly failing in his struggle to get to the shore? Theyre all among the statues of the Indian Sculpture Park at Victorias Way, in County Wicklow, and theyresupposed to be representations of a persons journey to fulfillment, self-realization, and a state of true being. The 33 black granite statues and three bronzes are on display in a 22-acre park that was designed as a 'contemplative space' for individuals to wander, meditate, and reflect upon life. Its described as a 'meta-physical Fun Park,' and the statues are supposed tohelp visitors reflect on the different states of being that we pass through in life.
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6La Pasqualita Sitting in a shop window in Chihuahua, Mexico, is the form of a young woman dressed in a bridal gown. While theres nothing remarkable about a mannequin by itself, its the eerie, lifelike appearance of this one that has spawneda legion of stories, since her debut on March 25, 1930. If you look closely at the mannequin, youll see a frightening amount of detail. From her real, human hair, her lined hands, and even the veins beneath her skin, the mannequin looks real enough to make most people take a second look. And if its real-girl appearance wasnt weird enough, she just happens to bear a striking resemblance to the original shop keepers deceased daughter. The young woman tragically died on the morning of her wedding, after suffering a poisonous spider bite. A recent death, and a reappearance of the eerily lifelike mannequin, conveniently dressed in a wedding gown . . . its not surprising that legends have sprouted around the figure, claiming that the mannequin is actuallythe preserved body of the young woman. Her name has long been forgotten, and now shes simply called La Pasqualita, after her mother, shopkeeper Pascuala Esparza. The devastated mother issued statement after statement that the mannequin is just thata mannequinbut to no avail. She still sits there, and its said that she changes position when no ones looking.
5Black Aggie
If youve ever wanted to walk through a sculpture park featuring a bizarre and very, very disturbing mix of erotica and pornography, with a fairy-tale feelBosc de Can Ginebreda is the vacation spot for you. Located in a juniper forest, about two hours north of Barcelona, Spain, the sculpture park is the work of one man:Xicu Cabanyes. His workshop is also on the property, so hes constantly adding to his collection. Its estimated that somewhere around 100 people every week come to walk between the giant stone hermaphrodites, sculptures of exaggerated individuals performing various acts, women in the middle of giving birth, and the occasional, nonpornographic piece. Cabanyes has been at it since the 1970s, and now has more than 100 pieces hiddenand not so hiddenin the forest. There are whole walls made from body casts of real people, there are people with their bits on backwards, and it wouldnt be complete without a few giant penises. Surreal and placed against a peaceful, beautiful forest backdrop, it has to be seen to be believed. And then probably never forgotten.
2Transi De Rene De Chalon
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Enemas arent something that people tend to think about on a daily basisand if they do, most wont admit it. But everyone who walks by the Mashuk Akva-Term spa in Zheleznovodsk, Russia, is going to be thinking about it. In 2008, the spa unveiled amonument to the enema treatmenta treatment thats very popular at their gastrointestinal-centered spa. The area is known for the cleansing value of their enemas, given with water from natural mineral springs that occur throughout the Caucasus Mountains. The monument features three angelic cherubs, inspired by Renaissance painter Alessandro Botticelli (although were pretty sure that Botticelli never had his little cherubs hold an enema syringe bulb over their heads). The statue cost $42,000, and it was unveiled witha banner that read: 'Lets beat constipation and sloppiness with enemas.'
+Bomarzo The Park of Monsters
The Park of Monsters is as sad and poignant as it is bizarre. Located just outside of Bomarzo, Italy, this garden and sculpture parkcontains some horrific images. Dragons are poised to swallow their terrified prey, an elephant carries the body of a dead soldier, the Greek monster Echidnapart woman, part snakewaits in eternal silence with a pair of lions. All throughout the park are grotesque faces, mouths opened in a silent scream . . . or waiting to swallow visitors whole. The whole thing was commissioned and created by a nobleman, named Duke Pierfrancesco Orsini, also known simply as Vicino. Vicino was a soldier, but war was not kind to him. As an officer in 1550s Italy, he saw his best friend die in battle and spent time as a prisoner of war. He returned home just in time to see his beloved wife die. So he retreated to his familys land, where he constructed the park of monsters that still stands today. Theres no record of whom many of the statues are supposed to depict, or why he decided to put them in the garden. At the entrance of the garden, though, isthis message, carved in stone and waiting for everyone who enters: 'You who enter this place, observe it piece by piece and tell me afterwards whether so many marvels were created for deception or purely for art.' The words come from a soul wrought with pain and sorrow, and to this day it remains unclear whether he was speaking of the horrific marvels within his garden, or about the marvels he had seen and carried with him to his death. Read more:http://listverse.com/2013/12/29/10-bizarre-statues-created-from-your-nightmares/ 10 Bizarre Statues Created From Your Nightmares To read more on this topic click here
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