Egypt bans public art that doesn't have government approval

CAIRO, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Egypt's prime minister banned all unauthorized public art after a string of amateurish statues and sculptures appeared around the country.

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail issued a decree after a statute of a soldier embracing his mother, entitled Mother of the Martyr, was met with disdain in Sohag, with some suggesting it was inappropriate. Sohag leaders launched an investigation into the artwork, which has since been reworked.

Last year, a statue of Nefertiti was ridiculed on social media for its perceived resemblance to Frankenstein.