3. A bust of Edward Snowden was illegally installed as “Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument 2.0”
In 2015, a bust of Edward Snowden was illegally installed in Fort Greene Park. It was attached to a Doric column by the Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument by three anonymous artists. The team who installed the bust of the American whistleblower adorned white construction helmets and reflexive vests, similar to workers of the Parks Department. The bust was made from Hydrocal, and it resembled other sculptures in the park with Snowden’s name at the base. The artists in a statement said, “Our goal is to bring a renewed vitality to the space and prompt even more visitors to ponder the sacrifices made for their freedoms.”
The sculpture was up for about 12 hours before being taken down. But soon after, a group of artists called the Illuminator Art Collective created a hologram image of Snowden in place of the sculpture. The city eventually returned the sculpture to the artists, which was later exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum.