Over the weekend, a wax statue of former US President Abraham Lincoln in Washington DC began to melt due to scorching summer heat. The six-foot-tall replica, which stands outside an elementary school in Northwest Washington, initially saw its head melt, followed by a leg separating from the torso, and a foot turning into a blob.
The intense heat in Washington DC caused the chair beneath the Abraham Lincoln statue to sink into the ground. With temperatures reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (around 37.7 degrees Celsius), it’s no wonder the wax figure experienced such dramatic melting.
The wax sculpture, known as ‘40 ACRES: Camp Barker’ and crafted by US-based artist Sandy Williams IV, serves a dual purpose. It not only represents the Lincoln Memorial but also functions as a practical candle.
CulturalDC staff took deliberate action by removing Lincoln’s head from the wax sculpture to prevent it from falling and breaking.
The sculpture, originally intended to transform gradually like a candle, unexpectedly underwent rapid changes due to extreme heat.
On Saturday, Washington, DC sizzled with a high temperature of 100°F (about 37.7°C), according to reports from weather.gov and Fox News.
The sculpture, weighing around 3,000 lbs, was commissioned by the non-profit organization CulturalDC.
The sculpture’s wax, with a congealing point of 140°F (60°C), either melts or hardens at that specific temperature.
Despite the damage, CulturalDC is committed to keeping the captivating 6ft wax replica of the Lincoln Memorial, known as “40 ACRES: Camp Barker,” at Garrison Elementary until September.
This thought-provoking installation, commissioned by CulturalDC and funded in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Public Art Building Communities Grant, serves as a commentary on DC’s history of Civil War-era Contraband Camps, which housed formerly enslaved and free African Americans.
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