Creating public art depicting controversial figures can lead to significant public backlash and financial loss for the artist.

Your don’t even need to speak ill of the dead. A gamble that misfired 🤣 Sergio Furnari, hoped the statue of the deceased far-right activist, which he intends to display in Times Square, would raise “millions” of dollars. Instead, he said he has been inundated by messages from people saying they intend to urinate on the sculpture. See also the golden statue of Trump - the (piss) artiste is apparently still waiting to be paid. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/20/sculptor-charlie-kirk-statue-new-york #HopeForTheUS

"A New York sculptor has been left furious after spending $100,000 of his own money to build a lifesize statue of Charlie Kirk, only to find that no one wants to buy it. Sergio Furnari, originally from Italy, had hoped the statue of the deceased far-right activist, which he intends to display in Times Square, would raise “millions” of dollars. Instead, he said he has been inundated by messages from people saying they intend to urinate on the sculpture. To add injury to insult, Furnari recently broke his foot working on the statue, after tripping over a roll of tape in his studio." https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/20/sculptor-charlie-kirk-statue-new-york