The National Wax Museum Plus apologized to O’Connor’s family and said it would immediately begin creating a more accurate depiction of the singer.
A wax figure of Sinéad O’Connor that bore no resemblance to the singer’s appearance has sparked controversy among fans and family, prompting a Dublin museum to remove it from its collection on Friday.
The National Wax Museum Plus apologized to O’Connor’s family and said it would immediately begin creating a more accurate depiction of the singer, best known for her 1990 cover of Prince’s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
John O’Connor noted that it was a horrible representation of his sister, looking like a cross between something in a clothing store window and a 1960s science fiction television show that used electronic puppets.
“When I saw it yesterday, I was flabbergasted,” he told Irish broadcaster RTE.
The museum unveiled the figure on Thursday, in honor of the first anniversary of the singer’s death. O’Connor, 56, died of natural causes at her London home on July 26, 2023.
O’Connor, who became a controversial figure after tearing up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live in 1992, was considered a national treasure in Ireland, where she began performing on the streets of Dublin.
Fans lined the streets of his former seaside town during his funeral in August, following a private service attended by then Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, President Michael Higgins and music figures including U2’s Bono and Boomtown Rats’ Bob Geldof.
Accurately capturing the likeness of celebrities has been a challenge. A Polish wax museum was ridiculed last year for what some called frightening depictions of Kate, Princess of Wales, and her husband, Prince William.
A sculptor has been mocked for his bronze figure of Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Paddy Dunning, director of the Dublin museum who considered O’Connor an old friend, said she deserved better honours.
“In response to public feedback about the wax figure, we acknowledge that the current representation does not meet our high standards or the expectations of Sinead’s devoted fans,” the museum said in a statement.
John O’Connor also stressed that he was unhappy with the timing of the opening and the fact that no one had contacted his family.
Source: Observadora
