A wax statue of Abraham Lincoln in Washington DC melts in harsh heat
A wax statue of Abraham Lincoln that was installed outside an elementary school in Washington, D.C., melted because of the sweltering summer heat. (Credit: FOX 5 DC)
An artist’s masterpiece wax sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, which sits outside an elementary school in Washington, D.C., has partially melted due to the sweltering heat the region experienced last week.
The artist, Sandy Williams IV, created the 6-foot wax replica of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the "40 Acres: Camp Barker" exhibit, which is also part of the artist’s Wax Monument series.
The exhibit is at Camp Barker, which was a contraband camp during the Civil War. The camp had undesirable conditions, though it was also a symbol of hope and resilience, giving individuals a place to find a sense of community, according to a press release about the exhibit.
Today, Garrison Elementary School sits where the camp once stood.
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A now headless Abraham Lincoln wax statue sits in front of Garrison Elementary in Washington, D.C., after the head melted in the sweltering heat over the weekend. (FOX 5 DC)
Cultural DC commissioned the project, and this week the organization provided an update on the Lincoln sculpture.
"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," the statement read, noting that the congealing point for the wax used, or the point where it begins to harden or melt, is 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cultural DC said the record-level heat caused Lincoln to slump into his chair more than ever anticipated.
According to weather.gov, the high temperature in Washington, D.C. on Saturday was 100 degrees.
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"All that wax is leannnnnnnning back under the weight of 2024 and the state of our warming planet," the statement read.
The organization added that its staff removed Lincoln’s head, so it did not fall and break.
For now, the group is working to determine the next steps for the exhibit.
An artist placed a wax statue of Abraham Lincoln at Garrison Elementary in Washington, D.C., as part of an art exhibit. (Google Maps)
"We can’t guarantee he’ll be sitting up straight for the months ahead, but who really will be," the organization said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Williams for a comment on the matter and did not immediately hear back.
FOX 5 in DC reported that the same statue was removed from the school in October after it began to collapse into a puddle of wax, also caused by hot temperatures.
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The exhibition of wax replica sculptures also includes those of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, J. E. B. Stuart, and Thomas Jefferson.
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