Panel in Smolensk Refuses to Recognize Sculpture of Deer as Protected Monument
A panel of experts in the Russian city of Smolensk has recently made a controversial decision to not recognize a sculpture of a deer in one of the city's parks as a protected monument. The reasoning behind this decision was that the sculpture was created in 20th-century Germany, which at the time was considered a hostile country. Vitaly Kazepin, the head of the panel, signed off on the decision, stating that protecting a sculpture created in a country that had destroyed some of Russia's historical monuments would be unfair to other monuments in the city. The sculpture, titled 'Deer', was originally created in 1910 by the German artist Richard Friese and was brought to Smolensk at the end of World War II. This decision has sparked debate and raised questions about the significance of art and monuments with historical ties to conflicting countries.
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