Hip-Hop’s 50th birthday is approaching and the borough of Brooklyn is ready to celebrate! The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and the Dumbo Improvement District have teamed up to fund the work of an artist by the name of Sherwin Banfield. In return, Banfield produced a nine-foot sculpture honoring the life and legacy of the late, greater Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace.
“I’m a traditionally trained figurative sculptor and wanted to take something classic then remix or sample it with something new and fresh,” Banfield told Artnet News.
Banfield initially began working on the project some time ago, but shelved it. Then, he resurrected the idea when his cousin told him about an open call for art pieces that would sit outside the Brooklyn Bridge. According to Banfield, the ability to have the piece sit outside the Brooklyn Bridge was a determining factor in his decision to resurrect the project.
“The location had a profound impact on the work,” Banfield told Artnet News.
“It’s on a hill, and I wanted viewers to ascend towards a regal monument and be welcomed with open arms and two essential human qualities: the voice through a microphone and love via a heart.”
The regal sculpture bridges the gap between art and technology. Standing nine feet tall, the statue features a crown, a scepter-like microphone and solar-powered speakers that play a mix curated by Mister Cee.
“Giving space to new kinds of monuments and works is what a public art fund is all about,” Dumbo Improvement Project President Alexandra Sica said.
“This is a spectacular piece that will greet countless New Yorkers.”
