 "Wax statue of Abraham Lincoln melts in US heatwave; picture goes viral")
As a severe heatwave swept across the United States, a six-foot-tall wax statue of Abraham Lincoln outside an elementary school in Washington DC melted over the weekend. The statue, modelled after the Lincoln Memorial, succumbed to the extreme heat as temperatures soared to 37.7-degree Celsius (nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Northwest Washington on Saturday.
Typically Washington DC temperatures can go up to 29-degree Celsius and down to 17-degree Celsius, making this month unseasonably hot.
A viral photograph captured the aftermath, showing Lincoln’s head and right foot melted, with his legs separated from the torso. The post by user Kirk A Bado has amassed more than 14 million views. The image was posted with the caption, “Maybe a wax Lincoln sculpture wasn’t the best idea during DC’s first week of summer heat.”
CultureDC, the non-profit organisation that commissioned the statue, wrote in a post, "WE CAN NOT WITH THIS HEAT EITHER, LINCOLN"
Creation and installation of Lincoln statue
The statue, created by Virginia-based artist Sandy Williams IV, was installed in February 2024 on the grounds of Garrison Elementary School, which sits on the historic site of Camp Barker—a Civil War-era refugee camp for former slaves. The installation is part of Williams IV’s ‘The Wax Monument Series’.
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Williams IV intended the statue to be a dynamic piece reflecting change.
“Traditionally, monuments are made to sit and collect a patina, as they withstand change, in an attempt to eternalise a particular reality. I am interested in visualising change and building monuments able to keep a living record of activity. By melting these wax versions of famous monuments, people are given agency over these forms that are normally (legally) untouchable,” Williams told Eastcityart.
Lincoln’s head removed for safekeeping
CulturalDC reported that staff had removed Lincoln’s head to prevent it from falling and breaking further.
The installation, titled ‘40 ACRES: Camp Barker’, was designed to remain at the school until September. CulturalDC described the work as a commentary on the history of Civil War-era contraband camps in DC, specifically highlighting Camp Barker’s location at the site of Garrison Elementary.
In a press statement, the organisation said, “This 3,000 lb wax sculpture is intended to be burnt like a candle and to change over time, but this wild heat has done a number on Lincoln.” They also mentioned that the wax used in the statue has a congealing point of 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).
Impact of heatwave
The recent heatwave has affected various parts of the US, with forecasters warning residents in central and eastern regions to brace for prolonged hot streaks this month. Last year, the US experienced its highest number of heatwaves since 1936, consisting of abnormally hot weather lasting more than two days. Officials are once again urging people to take necessary precautions to cope with the extreme temperatures.