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This Life-Sized Statue Has a Pretty Blunt Message About Kanye West

(Plastic) Jesus walks.

Back in 2013, when Kanye West coined his “Yeezus” moniker, there were a few of his most devoted fans and supporters who heralded him with the kind of praise the name suggested.

However, what Yeezus enthusiasts, or even Ye himself, may not have expected was a life-sized statue in L.A. depicting him as the messiah. 

Created in a joint effort by a photojournalist and artist who goes by Plastic Jesus and Las Vegas-based artist Ginger, the figure is designed similarly to an Oscars trophy. The shiny, gold statue features Yeezy outstretched in the same position as Jesus Christ during his crucifixion, sans wooden cross. With a crown of thorns on his head and hands in fists with nails hammered in, the artists placed a symbolic relic of Ye’s most prized fashion possession on his feet: a pair of Yeezy Boost sneakers. Beneath him is a red-carpeted block with a golden plaque reading “False Idol.”

According to the artist’s interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Plastic Jesus, who also identifies himself as a Yeezy fan, said that the premise behind the design was to communicate a message to Ye’s fans and the public’s habit of judging or crucifying him.

"He's a genius at writing and producing but he's not a God, and that's where we put him,” he reportedly said. “Until there's an issue in his life or a hiccup in his career, then we crucify him.”

Mentioning other celebrities whose personal lives or careers have faltered in the public eye, he explained the dangers of placing those like Ye on such a high pedestal just to snatch it from beneath them during hardship.

"We've seen it before with people like Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan,” he continued. “The same people who put him into a God-like place are the same yapping at his heels for a piece of flesh when something happens."

Ginger, who he teamed up with to help with the sculpture’s design, is the same art whiz behind the naked Donald Trump statue that has appeared in major cities like New York, L.A. and San Francisco. Of the statue’s overreaching importance, he said he wants everyone to understand the significance of critical-thinking with respect to our own biases and judgments as well as the media’s.

"I would say the message is this: By all means, treat and respect these people [as] artists, but don't make them into gods,” he said, “because we crucify our gods.”

After allowing it to spend time on Hollywood Boulevard, the artist will also exhibit the statue at his art showcase on Saturday (Feb. 25).

Does this add to the list of people and things Kanye made famous?

See the statue for yourself in the post below. 

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