Funny,FailsOCT 7, 2026

79 People Share The Most Hilariously Horrible Works Of Art Displayed In Their Home Countries

Works of art that are displayed for the general public to enjoy are often a contentious topic. On the one hand, you’re trying to liven up and beautify your local community’s spaces. On the other hand, with so many different tastes, wants, and needs, the artist’s vision—no matter how well-intentioned—can end up backfiring. Embarrassingly so!

Our team is featuring the very worst, bizarre, and most hilarious works of public art from around the globe, as shared by internet users in a viral online thread. Keep scrolling to see just how weird things can get.

#21 Türkiye

A giant corn on the cob fountain as public art with a mosque in the background.

Behold, corn

Mara2507

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11points

“In addition to the aesthetic benefits of having works of art in public places, artists can make valuable contributions. Inevitably bringing personal and distinctive interpretations to their endeavors, artists participating in public art displays are able to effectively advocate through art for alternative perspectives that can challenge assumptions, beliefs, and community values.”

In a nutshell, public art serves to benefit everyone, including the neighborhood, local community, and the artists themselves.

#22 Argentina

A giant statue of Lionel Messi on his knees, representing an unusual example of public art.

This.

r3dr1ck

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11points

#23 New Zealand

A wireframe phallic sculpture attached to a building, showing bizarre public art.

New Lynn Clouds sculpture.

tekno23

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11points

#24 United States Of America

A bizarre public art sculpture of a running horse in a grassy park next to a blooming cherry blossom tree

I present my humble offering of HORSE(?)

New-Tour-9451

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11points

To be clear, there is absolutely no way that you can make a work of art that will be universally beloved. Even the best artists have their critics.

So, even before you display something in public, you have to humble yourself and embrace the fact that you will hear criticism. Some of it will be constructive. Most of it won’t. A lot of it will sting. The important thing is to (try) not to take it personally.

Use the constructive insights you hear from the public to grow as a professional and improve your future work. Discard the rest of the criticism, especially if its only goal is to put you down. It’s not productive to ruminate on emotional attacks. Though, to be fair, that’s easier said than done.

At the end of the day, remember that you will never make everyone happy, no matter how talented you are. So emotional resilience must be in your toolbox as an artist. Especially for one who works in public spaces.

#25 United States Of America

A curved, dark grey, textured stone sculpture in a clearing surrounded by green bushes. Bizarre public art.

Here’s a statue that was in front of one of the major hospitals in San Diego. (It’s since been moved pretty much out of sight—and a flagpole placed in its stead). The locals named it “the Scripps [hospital] t**d.” I thought, let’s be charitable. It’s obviously a section of diseased intestine successfully removed by the fine surgeons in the hospital.

Aggressive_Dress6771

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11points

#26 Poland

A statue of the Pope lifting a boulder over a red-reflecting pool, a bizarre piece of public art

The pope as one of the Avengers in front of the national museum. And literally every other of the thousand statues of the pope in my country.

I highly recommend checking the memes people have made out of this particular statue, they're absolutely hilarious.

nensha90

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11points

#27 Australia

A geometric, faceted chrome pigeon statue standing in a pedestrian mall as public art in Australia.

This pigeon statue in Rundle Mall

The Malls Balls are famous, The Pigeon is infamous.

StreetCheetah8312

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11points

That being said, even if large segments of the public can’t vocalize specifically why they don’t like your art doesn’t mean that your work is automatically brilliant. You should not turn a blind eye to their outrage.

It is likely that the general public can sense a lack of quality or cohesion in your art but can’t quite manage to provide constructive, detailed, actionable feedback.

A true pro will set their ego aside and ask other artists and critics for their thoughts. Ideally, before their artwork is already placed in public. But feedback after the fact is useful, too.