A New York sculptor Sergio Furnari spent 100,000 dollars of his own money to create a life-size statue of Charlie Kirk, but so far has been unable to find a buyer for his creation. The artist of Italian descent had hoped that the sculpture of the deceased far-right activist would bring him millions of dollars, but instead received numerous messages from people saying they intended to urinate on the statue. While working on the project, Sergio Furnari also broke his foot after tripping over a roll of tape in his studio.
In an interview with The Guardian, the sculptor jokingly suggested that the work might be cursed, although he added that he did not know for sure. Charlie Kirk, who headed the Turning Point USA foundation, was known for his controversial statements, including that Black pilots might be less qualified. Despite his popularity among supporters of the MAGA movement, in New York — one of the most diverse and democratic cities in the U.S. — Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead in September of last year, had significantly less support.
Motivation and financial difficulties of the project
Sergio Furnari noted that he did not share all of Charlie Kirk’s views, particularly his denial of the existence of Palestine, but decided to create a statue approximately 1.93 meters tall made of steel and resin. According to him, the project was meant to glorify the First Amendment, freedom of speech, honor the memory of the deceased, and support his widow. The sculptor explained that he was inspired by how Michelangelo created “David” and Leonardo da Vinci created “The Last Supper,” and did not compare his work to their masterpieces. The project was not commissioned, and the artist relied on donations from wealthy patrons, which he never received.
Due to the lack of support, Sergio Furnari launched an online fundraising campaign with an initial goal of 150,000 dollars, and later hoped to raise millions to organize a tour of the statue across the country. As of Thursday, only 1,400 dollars had been raised. The sculptor called his financial situation an absolute nightmare, complaining that he had spent all his savings on the project.
Plans for exhibition in Times Square
Despite all the setbacks, Sergio Furnari later jokingly stated that the statue is not cursed, but blessed. He plans to install the sculpture in Times Square on September 10 — the anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s death. The artist hopes this will help draw attention to the project and at least compensate for the costs of its creation.
Source: The Guardian
