Photo: AFP
Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace has been honored with a new sculpture at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge (corner of Prospect and Washington).
The installation features Biggie looking out over Brooklyn from the height of a grassy, sloped lawn and the sculpture which is made of bronze, stainless steel, and resin includes speakers that play some of Big's greatest hits. In its right hand, the sculpture holds a microphone inscribed with the word “throne,” symbolizing the way Biggie’s rapping helped him become known as the “King of New York.”
Sherwin Banfield, the artist who created the 9-foot-tall structure called “Sky’s the Limit in the County of Kings” thanks to a grant from the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and Dumbo Improvement District, said:
“Delivering this project means so much to me personally, my story and artistic development as well as countless fans of hip hop culture who continue to be positively affected and influenced by the communal experiences and sonic frequencies of B.I.G.’s artistry…"
“More importantly I cherish the significance of the potential impact on young children of color who will have an opportunity to experience a public sculpture that represents and reflects their identity, circumstance and/or dreams.”
“I immigrated here as a young boy and hip-hop was the music that helped me transition into this culture.”
Banfield’s “Sky’s the Limit in the County of Kings” sits just steps from the famed 19th-century Black neighborhood that once occupied High Street and looks out over the same East River waterfront landing areas and views of Manhattan that Brooklyn’s Blacks used to see in the early 19th century.
Scroll down to check out a News 12 interview with the artist about the piece and photos/videos of the creation process and the finished product.