Rob Ford has consistently spoken out against the gravy train. But what does Toronto's mayor have to say about the butter box?
As part of an exhibition at the CNE, Toronto-based artist Olenka Kleban has made a butter sculpture of the mayor.
The butter Rob Ford can be seen reading a novel (Margaret Atwood, naturally) and leaning his other arm against the steering wheel.
In one fell swoop Kleban makes reference to two scandals that have bedeviled the mayor. The first saw Ford and his brother, Doug, get into a public spat with renowned Canadian author Margaret Atwood last summer over proposed cuts to the city's libraries.
The second was a photo of Rob Ford that made the rounds earlier this month that showed the mayor reading while driving. The incident sparked calls for the mayor to get a driver, something he would later reject as a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Kleban's butter Ford was made from about 500 pounds of the creamy stuff and stands more than four feet high. It took Kleban six days to complete. "It's definitely bigger than life-size," she told HuffPost Canada.
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The exhibit's theme, "Under the deep blue sea," means that Kleban's dairy mayor will be shown in its refrigerated case next to other butter sculptures showing krakens and other underwater scenes.
When asked why she chose to sculpt the mayor, Kleban said that it was tough to resist. "He provided all the subject material, the composition for it. It was all him." She hopes the sculpture will make viewers think about the mayor and become more politically aware.
"I did want to be silly about it and bring some comedy into it. I wanted to make it memorable for people," Kleban said.
Olenka's sculpture has generated buzz among the city's journalists and city hall watchers.
"It's '300 pounds of fun' made of 500 pounds of butter, quipped Global News reporter Jackson Proskow on Twitter.
"If you weren't already planning a trip to the CNE this year, this butter sculpture of Rob Ford should convince you," quipped another twitter user.
Kleban's sculpture will be shown at the CNE until Sept. 3.
Photo of Olenka Kleban working on her Rob Ford sculpture courtesy James MacNevin/Toronto Review Of Books.
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