Darth Vader statue
| Darth Vader statue | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Alexander Milov |
| Year | 2015 |
| Medium | Plaster and titanium |
| Subject | Darth Vader |
| Location | Odesa |
| 46°28′11.7″N 30°40′22.9″W / 46.469917°N 30.673028°W | |
The Darth Vader statue is a plaster and titanium statue in Odesa, Ukraine, depicting the character Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise. Originally a reinforced plaster statue of Vladimir Lenin, the sculpture was modified in 2015 by artist Alexander Milov as part of the process of decommunization in Ukraine.
History
[edit]The statue of Vladimir Lenin was originally constructed on the site of the now-defunct Pressmash plant in Odesa, Soviet Ukraine. It was initially constructed with plaster, and due to damage sustained over time, was reinforced with a composite material, the formula of which was kept a secret by the original artist.[1]
In 2015, decommunization laws took effect in Ukraine, leading to the removal of hundreds of Soviet-era monuments.[2] The statue of Lenin in Odesa was planned to be removed, but the city chose to instead hire artist Alexander Milov to modify the statue in order to comply with the law and save it from destruction.[3][4] He modified Lenin's coat into a cape and added a helmet over Lenin's head, turning the statue into Darth Vader.[5] The statue's fist now holds a lightsaber hilt.[6] The modifications were made with titanium and attached with specialized glue; local rumors claimed that the glue was the same type used in spaceship construction, and that it was provided by NASA.[1]
The original head of Vladimir Lenin was left undamaged underneath the helmet so that it could be "exhumed" in the future if desired.[2] Within the helmet is a Wi-Fi hotspot.[7][4] In an interview with the BBC, Milov stated that he chose to turn the statue into Darth Vader because "at this moment Darth Vader is a political figure in Ukraine"; since 2012, various Ukrainian politicians had used the name and likeness of Darth Vader to run for office.[8][9] Milov described the statue as the world's first monument to Darth Vader.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Трансформация Ленина: в Одессе появился первый в мире памятник Дарту Вейдеру". Dumskaya (in Russian). Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Ukraine: Lenin statue given Darth Vader makeover". BBC News. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Worland, Justin (25 October 2015). "Ukrainian Lenin Statue Turned Into Darth Vader". TIME. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ a b Domanico, Anthony (23 October 2015). "Darth Vader monument in Ukraine doubles as Wi-Fi hotspot". CNET. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Chow, Andrew R. (25 October 2015). "Lenin Statue in Ukraine Turned Into Darth Vader". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Darth Vader Statue". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Bakare, Lanre (23 October 2015). "The force awakens (in Ukraine): Darth Vader statue replaces Lenin monument". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Macdonald, Fiona (23 October 2015). "The man who turned Lenin into Darth Vader". BBC. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ Neuendorf, Henri (27 October 2015). "Ukrainian Artist Turns Lenin Statue into Darth Vader". Artnet News. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Artist Transforms Ukrainian Lenin Statue Into Darth Vader Monument". ABC News. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
