A New York-based sculptor has watched his ambitious but uncommissioned project turn into a financial nightmare. Sergio Furnari, originally from Italy, sank $100,000 of his own money into building a lifesize statue of Charlie Kirk, the far-right activist who was killed in September last year. He expected the marble-and-steel monument to rake in millions. Instead, his fundraising campaign has pulled in roughly $1,400.
Furnari's venture has been marked by setback after setback. While working on the sculpture in his studio, he tripped over a roll of tape and broke his foot. Messages from the public have not been encouraging, with people telling him they plan to urinate on the artwork. When asked if the project felt cursed, Furnari replied simply: "Maybe. I don't know."
The sculptor's stated rationale for the work has shifted throughout his efforts. At various points he claimed he was exercising freedom of speech, supporting Kirk's widow, glorifying democracy, and commemorating a historical figure. He drew parallels to Renaissance masterpieces, comparing his work to Michelangelo's David and the Pietà .
What appears consistent is that Furnari expected wealthy supporters to bankroll the project once it caught public attention. When that backing never materialized, he launched an online fundraiser hoping to pull in $150,000 initially, with ambitions of raising millions to take the statue on tour. The response has been bleak.
Kirk had built a substantial following through Turning Point USA, a foundation that mobilized young Republicans. He became a celebrated figure in MAGA circles despite a public record marked by racist commentary. In one podcast episode, Kirk claimed that "prowling Blacks go around for fun to target white people." He also expressed skepticism about Black pilots. Kirk was shot dead last September.
Interestingly, Furnari has acknowledged disagreeing with Kirk on multiple issues. He said he particularly objected to Kirk's stance on Palestine and his dismissal of Palestinian statehood. "I thought this guy must be out of his mind," Furnari said of those comments.
New York City, where Furnari plans to display the sculpture in Times Square, remains heavily Democratic and notably diverse. Kirk holds little sway in the city's political culture, which may explain the absence of donor enthusiasm.
Furnari plans to install the six-foot-four statue on September 10, the anniversary of Kirk's death, hoping that timing will generate the interest and financial support that has eluded him so far. "Things financially are a total, absolute nightmare," he said recently. "People are cheap, man. Everybody's so cheap. It's disgusting how cheap they are."
Author James Rodriguez: "Spending six figures on an uncomissioned statue of a divisive figure and then being shocked nobody wants to buy it takes a particular kind of optimism, or delusion."
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