“Who Signed Off on This?”: Tina Turner Statue Sparks Outrage Over Botched Tribute in Memphis

A statue of the renowned American musician Tina Turner was installed in her hometown, Tennessee. It was intended to tribute the singer. However, as soon as it was installed, it sparked criticism from the fans. 

Fans are raising questions regarding its artistic quality and approval process. They say that the statue is quite different from the actual features and skin tone of the musician. This 10-foot bronze statue, meant to honor the singer, is now presenting something opposite. 

A Tribute Meant to Inspire, But Does It Really?

Every year, in the hometown, fans celebrate Tina Turner’s Heritage Days. Fans all around the world move to the event and celebrate their hero lady’s legacy, but this time the statue brought a difference.

The statue is placed near the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center and was created by Atlanta-based sculptor Fred Ajanogha, also known as Ajano. He spent over one year creating a masterpiece for the world. 

It captures the singer in mid-performance position. You can see her wearing a pleated mini skirt and holding a microphone. She is showcasing her signature hairdo. 

Ajano explained his vision in a public statement, saying that “I tried to achieve three things: her movement, her hair, and her finger. I wanted her to be seen in her flexible form on stage. The hair, which I used to emphasize her strength as a woman, goes with the mane of a lion. Very soft, heavy, and strong.”

While in an emotional statement regarding the uniqueness of the singer, he said to her fans, “You can copy her, but there’s only one Tina Turner. So I’m very happy to do this sculpture for the Brownsville community and the whole family of Tina Turner and her fans.”

This is not a common statue, as it was funded by more than 50 donors. One of the biggest donors, who contributed over $150,000, was Ford Motor Company. The company’s community relations director, Grabby Bruno, stated, “We are proud to support this statue in the community where Tina Turner’s journey began. In helping to preserve her legacy, we celebrate all in this region who reach for their dreams.”

Why Does Backlash Begin?

Although both the purpose and tone behind this statue were celebratory, the online reactions were unforgiving. The most common reason behind this criticism was the difference between the statue and her actual appearance. 

Fans created memes, jokes, and much more to criticize the act. They keep asking who signed off on the creation of this statue.  

• A user with the ID @newunderwurd wrote, “That Tina Turner statue is a tragedy. She deserves better.”
• Another user, @Yankeefan2975, asked, “Did the artist even look at a photograph of the real Tina Turner?” 
• Mr. @ChiBoyJimmy posted that “Tennessee will pay for their crimes,“”Why did they do that to her hair?” 
• Some musicians also participated in the conversation, sharing their own thoughts on the matter. Jazz musician James Zimmermann expressed the emotions, stating that  “Great art leaves you speechless. So does an abomination like this.”
• Similarly, a well-known comedian known as Kevin Fredericks also wrote that “What’s art got to do with it? Who is this?”

Beyond Factual Critics, the Discussion Went To Political 

However, the comments were not limited to factual criticism, as some went beyond. One post goes viral, framing the issue as a political agenda. The post was liked over 21,000 times. 

The post stated, “This is racism. We need to address why so many statues of Black people are poorly made and fail to resemble the individuals they’re meant to honor. I rarely see this same issue when it comes to white people.”

What Was The Artistic Vision and Public Expectations?

When it comes to opinions, they are equally divided between positive and negative. Some praised how the statue was created while keeping a keen eye on all the features, but some described the hair as “a helmet,” while others said it’s just like “a lion’s mane gone wrong”.

The internet is flooded with jokes and memes featuring this statue with something weird. However, the sculptor defended his choice; of course, he had to do so. 

He said the hairs were not just created randomly; there was a specific purpose behind this creation. He said hair symbolized the strength she had. 

However, as mentioned earlier, the issue was simply perfection. Fans need perfection with her actual features. They said that “Her face does not look like her at all and the wig looks like a big helmet, nothing like Tina!. With all the money spent, THIS is the face they gave Tina Turner? She was stunning, and this doesn’t capture her at all.”

Whatever it is, It Was A Tribute

We can’t say anyone is wrong. The fans are correct in their sentiments, as they want to see their hero singer with her actual features, not a distorted image. However, on the other hand, the sculptor also seems correct in his own place because he changed something just to express her inner strengths through her features. Fans carry on writing like “She was simply the best, and she deserved the best.”