China recently drew the ire of many when it removed a sculpture that had served as a memorial for the 1989 massacre that occurred in Tiananmen Square. The “Pillar of Shame” was the first part in a monument project by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt to memorialize acts of genocide around the globe.
The 26-foot-tall sculpture, which was on the campus of the University of Hong Kong, depicted people crying out in pain. It was reportedly removed in December as part of China’s attempts to crack down on dissent and free speech in Hong Kong.
But Galschiøt is determined not to let his work go quietly. This week he released the copyright on the “Pillar of Shame,” publishing a blueprint so that anyone with a 3D printer can now make one of their own. “They have made a big mistake,” Galschiøt said. “Now, instead of one, they’re getting hundreds of Pillars of Shame.”
