Look On My Abs, Ye Mighty, And Despair!

For many a world leader longing to make a lasting political statement, statuary has proven an irresistible medium. What better way to make your values clear and permanent than to commemorate them in marble? It's like the old saying, "If you love something, carve its head into a mountain."

In that spirit, FP offers a photo essay on some of the world's most misguided political statues, starting with Senegal's controversial tribute to independence/President Abdoulaye Wade's virility. It's what Independence would look like if Independence were a Marky Mark tribute to Soviet stonework. Check out the monstrosities here.

Not included was the world's largest monument to Josef Stalin, a 17,000-tonne marble memorial to the leader standing at the front of what appears to be a bread line. The visionary behind the eyesore committed suicide shortly before it was unveiled and reportedly made out his will to a school for the blind, the only blessed souls who would never have to gaze upon his hideous creation, although I've never been able to determine how accurate/apocryphal that story is.

World leaders, take note: If you want the mighty to look on your works and despair, please make sure your politics and aesthetics are worthy of celebration. The world will thank you for it.