A New York sculptor is facing significant financial losses after independently creating a life-sized statue of the late far-right activist Charlie Kirk, only to discover there is no market for his £80,000 investment. Sergio Furnari, originally from Italy, poured his own money into the sculpture, anticipating it would be a lucrative venture that could potentially raise millions of dollars.
However, Furnari's hopes have been dashed, with the artist reporting an influx of hostile messages from the public, some even threatening to deface the artwork. The situation has been compounded by a personal injury, as Furnari recently broke his foot in his studio while working on the 6ft 4in sculpture, leading him to ponder if the project is 'cursed'.
Charlie Kirk, who died in September last year, was a controversial figure known for his leadership of the Turning Point USA foundation, which aimed to engage young Republicans. He was frequently criticised for expressing divisive and bigoted views, particularly on race and international affairs, including denying the existence of Palestine.
Furnari himself admitted to not being a 'fan' of Kirk's views on 'certain issues'. Despite this, he stated his motivations for creating the statue were varied, ranging from a desire to 'glorify and to exercise the first amendment, this freedom of speech', to supporting Kirk's widow, 'glorifying democracy', and simply 'commemorating a person'. He drew parallels to historical artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, suggesting his aim was to 'commemorate a moment, you know, a person'.
Despite the lack of a commission, Furnari clearly harboured financial expectations, hoping for donations from wealthy individuals to cover his costs for steel, resin, and labour. This expectation has not materialised. In an attempt to recoup his losses, he launched an online fundraising campaign with an initial target of $150,000, hoping to eventually tour the statue. As of Thursday, however, he had only raised a mere $1,400.
Furnari's latest strategy involves displaying the statue in Times Square on 10 September 2026, marking the anniversary of Kirk's death. He hopes this public exhibition will generate interest and potentially allow him to recover some of his substantial investment, which has left him in a 'total, absolute nightmare' financially.