A Wax Statue of Lincoln Melted Into a Meme

What do you call a wax replica of a former president during an oppressive heat wave? A punchline waiting to happen.

Originally installed at an elementary school in Washington, D.C., in February, the six-foot wax version of the Lincoln Memorial was intended as a commentary on American monument culture.

Instead, it became a meme.

As temperatures in the region neared triple digits over the weekend, the replica’s head mostly melted off, turning the towering president into a droopy mess. People sharing the photos online could relate. To them, Abraham Lincoln looked as if he were reacting to an annoying work email or sinking into a couch after a long day. Jokes and innuendo abounded about why he was leaning back.

The work’s sculptor, Sandy Williams IV, said that the online conversation highlighted something special about public art: It is open to interpretation, even when that interpretation is unexpected.

“When I show work in galleries, the population I’m interacting with is a more particular demographic,” said Williams, who uses they/them pronouns. “Whereas public art is just for everyone, especially once it then is on the internet and is becoming a meme.”