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New York-based sculptor Sergio Furnari spent $100,000 of his own money to create a life-size statue of Charlie Kirk. The 6-foot-4-inch monument depicts Kirk holding a microphone and wearing a "FREEDOM" sweatshirt. Furnari finds no buyers for the work and now faces a six-figure bill.
Sergio Furnari, an Italian-born sculptor based in New York, expected the statue to bring in "millions" of dollars. Instead, he faces widespread backlash online, with individuals threatening to deface the sculpture, the Guardian reported.
In the same interview with The Guardian, he questions whether the sculpture is cursed after a studio fall over a roll of tape leaves him with a broken foot. Yet the artist quickly rejects the idea, describing the statue as "blessed."
Still, he doesn't hide his frustration, describing the financial situation as an "absolute nightmare" and criticizing people for being unwilling to contribute.
Furnari shared a video of the statue on his Instagram account, where the post quickly drew a wave of online reactions.
Furnari says he built the statue not out of support for Kirk but as a tribute to free speech. Describing it at various points as a way to honor democracy, commemorate Kirk's widow, and mark ''a person'' and ''a moment.''
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The Italian-born artist, however, makes clear he wasn't aligned with Kirk's politics, particularly his stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. He recalls being unable to stand Kirk's claim that Palestine doesn't exist, saying it made him think Kirk ''must be out of his mind.''
He later compared his motivation to that of history's great artists, likening the statue to Michelangelo's Pieta and David, or da Vinci's Mona Lisa. According to him, the underlying aim is always the same.
Furnari now intends to unveil the statue in Times Square on Sept. 10, marking one year since Kirk's death. The sculptor is hoping the date will draw fresh attention to the project and offset part of the cost.
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