愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Provocative sculpture that looks like Putin removed from Kyiv public square

Share

Warning: This content may be distressing to some.

A provocative anti-war sculpture featuring a handgun and a remarkable likeness of Vladimir Putin has been removed from a public square in the centre of Kyiv.

Provocative may be understating the power of Dmytro Iv鈥檚 work, when you consider the barrel of the handgun is planted firmly in the statue鈥檚 mouth.

It鈥檚 called 鈥淪hoot Yourself鈥 and was erected without permission in a very prominent location鈥攚here a Soviet-era statue of Lenin once stood.

鈥淥riginally I had an idea to create something that would motivate our soldiers to keep on killing Russians,鈥 said Iv, who imitates putting a gun to his mouth and pulling the trigger.

His sculptures have been shown internationally, and usually he works in soft material, but he said this time chose rusted steel for its effect.

鈥淭he war is tough,鈥 he told me. 鈥淪teel is tough. There should be no beauty in this.鈥

Eight hours after 鈥淪hoot Yourself鈥 was lifted into place, like a Banksy guerilla manoeuvre, it was removed. But not before photos and video whirled across the globe on social media.

Iv said he doesn鈥檛 want to talk about why it was taken away, beyond suggesting it was considered a provocation as Russia and Ukraine were preparing to mark the Second World War鈥檚 Victory Day, though in very different ways.

He seems more amused than indignant.

The sculpture is now being stored in a Kyiv warehouse. Iv said this situation is only temporary and that 鈥淪hoot Yourself鈥 will soon appear at a new venue, maybe in another city.

The eyes are very Putin-esque, highlighted with little strips of barbed wire. The handgun is realistically menacing with a steel hand on the trigger. Iv said it took a month to create.

鈥淭he sculpture speaks for itself,鈥 he says. 鈥淧utin is a war criminal and war criminals can do two things. They can either be put in prison, or shoot themselves.鈥

A provocative anti-war sculpture featuring a revolver and a remarkable likeness of Vladimir Putin has been removed from a public square in the centre of Kyiv. (Courtesy CTV'S Paul Workman)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

Local Spotlight

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.