Famous Irish Singer Sinead O'Connor
Museum Unveils Wax Figure to Commemorate 1st Anniversary
On the first anniversary of the death of female singer-songwriter Sin?ad O'Connor last year, an Irish museum that unveiled a wax figure resembling her decided to withdraw the wax figure after just one day due to strong backlash from her family and fans.
According to foreign media including CNN on the 26th (local time), the National Wax Museum Plus in Dublin revealed a wax figure of O'Connor the day before to mark the first anniversary of her death.
An artist affiliated with the National Wax Museum Plus is finishing the wax figure of Sin?ad O'Connor. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The museum said it intended to honor the impact of O'Connor's music on Irish culture on the first anniversary of her passing, but was criticized by the late artist's family and fans immediately after the unveiling.
Sin?ad O'Connor's brother, John O'Connor, described the wax figure modeled after his sister as "grotesque" on the local RTE 1 radio broadcast, comparing it to a mix between an electronic doll displayed in a department store window and a 1950s sci-fi TV drama character.
Fans online also responded with comments such as "shockingly terrible."
O'Connor passed away on July 26 last year at the age of 56. She was an Irish singer and social activist known for her clear and pure voice and her songwriting skills that expressed views on politics, spirituality, history, and philosophy.
She topped the Billboard charts for four consecutive weeks in 1990 with "Nothing Compares 2 U." Additionally, she became an even more influential figure by openly sharing her struggles with addiction and mental illness.
In response to the strong criticism from fans and family, the museum announced it would withdraw the wax figure and produce a new one.
In a statement that day, the museum said, "In light of the public's reaction to the wax figure, we acknowledge that our representation did not meet our high standards or the expectations of Sin?ad's devoted fans," adding, "Our team of skilled artists will immediately begin this project and carefully craft every detail to properly honor her legacy."
Museum director Paddy Dunning, speaking on RTE1, said he was a longtime friend of O'Connor and apologized to her family. He also explained that the wax figure artist who had worked at the museum for years retired due to health reasons, which contributed to this situation.
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