Charlie Kirk statue bound for NY's Times Square as sculptor defies threats ahead of unveiling

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

An Italian-born sculpture artist is set to unveil a six-figure tribute to Charlie Kirk in the heart of New York City this week — a move that he hopes will spark dialogue rather than division.

Sergio Furnari was still in bed when his daughter came home with the news that Kirk had been assassinated at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.

"It took me a couple of seconds to connect," Furnari told Fox News Digital. "And then I kind of was, I would say, saddened by it."

ERIKA KIRK REFLECTS ON FIRST YEAR OF GRIEF AFTER CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION IN NYT ESSAY

Within weeks, Furnari — who gained attention for his 40-foot sculpture of athlete Cristiano Ronaldo — was fielding calls suggesting he create a tribute to Kirk.

"I was like, ‘No way, I cannot get involved with politics,’" Furnari said. "But I [saw] how Erika [Kirk] got treated, including the parents of Charlie, and that’s what I think became my catalyzer[sic]."

ERIKA KIRK COMFORTS A STRANGER IN TEARS DURING HEARING FOR HUSBAND'S ACCUSED ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON

"If you’re a parent, no matter if you were Democrat or Republican, you should have a little bit of empathy," he continued.

Furnari got to work on the memorial — a 6-foot,-5-inch sculpture painted bronze and funded by his own savings.

"I did the first one in early December," Furnari said. "It came out good, different than [the final] one, and without a microphone. For me, it was just to test my skills."

"From there on, I became more passionate about it — just because of the way everybody was making fun of him," he added. "I feel like they killed him once, and they kill him each time, over and over again."

A YEAR AFTER CHARLIE KIRK'S MURDER, SOME COMICS ARE CALLING OUT JOKES ABOUT HIS DEATH

Within five months, the statue of a seated Kirk holding his famous microphone and wearing a T-shirt with the word "FREEDOM" adorning the front was complete.

However, the tribute also came with a monumental cost of $100,000, which was paid for by Furnari out of his own pocket.

INDIANA FARM VOWS TO ‘ABSOLUTELY’ DO CHARLIE KIRK CORN MAZE AGAIN DESPITE WAVE OF BACKLASH

"If I include my time, [it was] probably more than $100,000," Furnari told Fox News Digital, adding, "It sounds like a number that is like, ‘Oh my God,’ because there are people that don’t know the value of art."

Furnari is still looking to recoup the cost of the project and has launched an online fundraiser to crowdfund support, with the promise that "donors of any kind will have their name engraved on the monument’s platform."

HE FLED COMMUNISM. NOW THIS CALIFORNIA MAYOR IS HONORING CHARLIE KIRK AND REFUSING TO BACK DOWN

Despite the eye-watering price tag, Furnari insists that he is not an avid supporter of Kirk.

"It’s not like I agree with him. There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t agree with," Furnari said. "But still, freedom of expression and, in my case, freedom of creation — there are no boundaries, no borders. That’s where we kind of stand together."

The statue of Kirk is set to be unveiled in New York City’s Times Square on Sept. 10 at 2:33 p.m. to mark the one-year anniversary — down to the minute — of the conservative activist’s assassination.

"There’s lots of New Yorkers, millions of New Yorkers, who love Charlie," Furnari told Fox News Digital. "So come on by."

'ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME?' CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS REACT TO STREET BEING RENAMED AFTER CHARLIE KIRK

The artist also revealed he has received countless hate-filled messages in response to the memorial, with some individuals even threatening to deface the statue at the unveiling and mocking the way in which Kirk was assassinated.

"I get thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of comments, like, ‘Where is the hole?’ or ‘I will make sure you will find his head in your bed,’" Furnari said, adding, "Nobody really scares me. And when they threaten my life, it’s like whatever."

Furnari insists that the message behind the statue is apolitical, and his hope is that the tribute to Kirk will inspire both tolerance and creativity in the wake of his death.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

"It’s a monument definitely to Charlie, but it’s even a monument to freedom of speech," Furnari said, adding, "The idea is to spread dialogue. Pure, simple dialogue — just the way [Kirk] did."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to TPUSA for comment.

Julia Bonavita is a media and culture writer for Fox News Digital, and a Fox Flight Team drone pilot. You can follow her at @juliabonavita13 on all platforms and send story tips to julia.bonavita@fox.com.