OTTMAR HÖRL – SCULPTURE – VICTORY GNOME (2012) – ORANGE

About the Victory Garden Gnome

This Victory garden gnome is a creation of Ottmar Hörl in 2012. It features a gnome with a cap standing with his right arm stretched in front of him making the Victory sign. The artist came up with this Victory garden gnome as a response to the regular riots instigated by hooligans after the football games. The Victory Gnome pictures a communicative impulse as well as a supporters’ trophy for peaceful interaction. All our Victory garden gnomes are either for indoor or outdoor use and come with a Hörl Certificate of Authentification engraved at the bottom of the left foot.

• Dimensions: 15.75″ x 7.48″ x 6.69″
• Color: Orange gnome
• Model: V-sign
• Materials: Molded plastic, made in Germany.
• In and Outdoor use

Special edition from the artist.

About the V-Sign

The V sign has various meanings, depending on the cultural context and also its representation. It has been used to symbolize the letter V” as in Victory”, especially by Allied troops during World War II. In January 1941, Victor de Laveleye, former Belgian Minister of Justice and director of the Belgian French-speaking broadcasts on the BBC suggested in a broadcast that Belgians use a V for Victoire (French word for Victory”) as a rallying emblem during World War II. Within weeks chalked up, Vs began appearing on walls throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern France. By July 1941, the emblematic use of the letter V had spread through occupied Europe. That same month, Prime Minister Winston Churchill referred approvingly to the V for Victory campaign in a speech, from which point he started using the V hand sign.

This Victory garden Gnome reminds us to be humble even in the face of victory and show forgiveness towards those who have lost.

About the Artist

Ottmar Hörl was born in 1950 in Nauheim, Germany. He is a renown German artist, art professor, and writer. His work is famous for its whimsicality and uniqueness, but also tends to spark political controversy, particularly with his gnomes.