Stalin Monument
The Stalin Monument, also known as Stalin Bust and Herring, is an artwork in The Hague, Netherlands, by Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid. It presents a bust of Joseph Stalin inside a phone booth. In front of him are a herring, a reference to Stalin’s taste for herring, and a lamp on a table covered with red felt. The work was originally placed in The Hague’s red light district in 1986. After renovation, it was moved to its current location next to the KM21 museum for modern art. It is part of the Kunstmuseum collection, which oversees KM21.
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Identification | |
| Title | Stalin Monument in The Hague |
| Alternative title | Stalin Bust and Herring |
| Type | Conceptual bust |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Subject | Joseph Stalin |
| Herring symbolism | The herring refers to Stalin's fondness for eating herring |
Creator | |
| Artists | Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid |
Historical context | |
| Year of installation | 1986 |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Original location | the red-light district of The Hague |
Location and ownership | |
| Collection | Part of the Kunstmuseum collection; Kunstmuseum oversees KM21 |
| Current location | next to KM21 museum for modern art in The Hague |
History and restoration | |
| Restoration and relocation year | 2003 |
| Reason for restoration and relocation | Repeated acts of vandalism against the artwork |
| Responsible institution | Municipal authorities of The Hague |
Physical characteristics | |
| Form | A bust of Stalin placed inside a police booth |
| Pedestal | Mounted on a pedestal covered with red velvet |
| Additional objects | A herring and a lamp on a table covered with red felt |
Other | |
| Inscription | "Alarm. Fire police" |