We the People (detail), Element #D2

A fragment of monumental ambition, this work by Danh Vo forms part of his larger project reconstructing a full-scale replica of the Statue of Liberty's copper skin in individual, handcrafted sections. The irregular, oxidized copper surface bears the textural evidence of skilled fabrication, evoking both the grandeur of a national symbol and the intimate labor of human hands. By isolating a single element, Vo invites meditation on how icons of freedom and democracy are built, dispersed, and ultimately owned by individuals rather than a collective.