Melania Trump sculpture in Sevnica, Slovenia ridiculed for looking like 'Smurfette'

A life-size rough wooden sculpture of US first lady Melania Trump was unveiled near her hometown of Sevnica in southeastern Slovenia on Friday.

Commissioned by Berlin-based American artist Brad Downey and carved with a chainsaw by local folk artist Ales Zupevc, the statue serves as a - perhaps wry - accompaniment to Downey's exhibition in the capital Ljubljana exploring Melania's roots in the small Alpine country.

The blocky, rustic figure was cut from the trunk of a living linden tree - whose base forms a tall plinth - in a field beside the Sava River in the village of Rozno, eight km from Sevnica.

There is no attempt at an accurate likeness, to the point where the gallery in Ljubljana appears uncertain how seriously to take the statue.

"Perhaps we are simply trying vigorously to make sense of things that might only be a slapstick prank," it says in a leaflet. "Who knows?"

The sculpture has received a negative response from some locals, who have described it as looking like "Smurfette" - the blue female member of cartoon characters the Smurfs.

Although the statue's face is rough-hewn and unrecognisable, the figure is shown clothed in the pale blue wraparound coat that Melania wore at Donald Trump's inauguration as US president.