TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Viral lizard statue sparks conversation about 'overpriced', 'ugly' monuments
The monument’s surprisingly small budget also sparked widespread discussion online, with many netizens comparing it to statues in other cities that are often deemed far less appealing despite being built with significantly larger budgets and funded by taxpayers.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
A viral monitor lizard statue is seen in Wonosobo Regency, West Java. The statue has been praised by netizens for its striking realism and surprisingly low construction budget. (Kompas/courtesy of Rejo Arianto)
A
monitor lizard statue built by the Wonosobo administration in Central Java recently went viral for its striking realism and surprisingly low construction budget, sparking widespread online debate over other city monuments many netizens consider "ugly" and overpriced.
The 7-meter-tall monument depicts a large black monitor lizard with yellow spots, poised atop a large rock. Located in Krasak Village, Selomerto District, the statue has quickly become a popular photo spot for local residents since its completion last month.
The monument was created by local artist Rejo Arianto, a graduate of the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Surakarta, who is renowned for his public artwork throughout Wonosobo, including several showcased in local government buildings.
Rejo is primarily known for his paintings, and the lizard monument marks only the third sculpture he has ever created and the first to be commissioned by the government.
He made the monument in just 1.5 months with the help of members from the local youth organization Karang Taruna. The project was completed on a modest budget of Rp 50 million (US$3,100), funded through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds of Wonosobo-owned enterprises (BUMD).
Rejo explained that although the budget was tight, he managed to make it work because of his desire to contribute to his hometown.
"I didn’t create [the lizard monument] for profit. However, if it had been commissioned by another city, I would have needed a larger budget," he said in a recent interview, as quoted by Kompas.
