Danh Võ: Rebuilding Liberty is on view at the Vilcek Foundation in New York City from June 22, 2026, through June 25, 2027.

The exhibition features works by Vietnamese-born Danish conceptual artist Danh Võ (b. 1975), including three sculptures from his We the People series (2011–2016) alongside Live Free or Die (2026), a piece commissioned specifically for the Vilcek Foundation’s gallery. Together, these works reconsider the Statue of Liberty and the American flag, two of the most recognizable symbols in the United States, examining how their meanings shift when forms are fragmented and materials are transformed.

In We the People, Võ reconstructs fragments of a full-scale replica of the Statue of Liberty as individual sculptures. Each corresponds to a specific section of the original monument, though these forms often become difficult to recognize when isolated. Removed from their original context, the fragments invite reflection on the instability of symbols, the relationship between individual and collective identity, and the ways democracy itself is constructed and imagined.

A 3D rendering of We the People (detail), #DVW211.O9

Created using repoussé, the same traditional metalworking technique used for the original Statue of Liberty, We the People was fabricated in Shanghai and divided into hundreds of fragments dispersed across institutions and collections worldwide. Rather than reconstructing the monument in its entirety, Võ conceived the work as permanently fragmented, so that the sculpture can never again exist as a unified whole. Conceived in Germany, produced in China, and circulated internationally, the project also reflects the global networks of labor, exchange, migration, and movement that shape contemporary culture.

A 3D rendering of We the People (detail) #DVW211.C8.1

Born in Vietnam and raised in Denmark after his family fled the country following the end of the Vietnam War, Võ was particularly drawn to the Statue of Liberty because of the intertwined histories of Vietnam, France, and the United States. For the artist, the monument embodies both democratic ideals and the contradictions of colonial and political power.

Võ has reflected on the series: “I hadn’t seen the Statue of Liberty before embarking on this project, but the fact that her skin or surface is only two millimeters thick really fascinated me. You think of this monumental sculpture, but the image of it is stronger than the physical materiality of it. I thought it would be a great challenge to take an image that everyone has some idea about and twist it.”

In Live Free or Die, Võ constructs a version of the American flag using stacked firewood and steel stars. The title comes from the official motto of New Hampshire, one of the original 13 colonies. Created to accommodate different configurations over time, following instructions provided by the artist, the work may shift in form across installations. The stripes of the flag are constructed from stacked wood, while steel stars support the structure above. The rough texture and irregular arrangement of the wood contrast with the geometric order typically associated with the flag. By translating it into stacked wood and steel, Võ draws attention to the physical construction of one of the most recognizable symbols in American history. The work also echoes Jasper Johns’s Flag (1954–55), prompting viewers to reconsider the relationship between symbol, material, and image.

Opening during the 250th anniversary of the United States and the Vilcek Foundation’s 25th anniversary, the exhibition reflects on questions of democracy, migration, national identity, and belonging that continue to shape American life today.

The exhibition is accompanied by a booklet featuring a foreword by Rick Kinsel, President of the Vilcek Foundation, reflecting on America at 250 and the foundation at 25; “The Endlessly Renewable and Replenishable: Staging Danh Võ’s Live Free or Die,” an essay by Joshua Chambers-Letson examining the work through performance, iteration, and renewal; and “The Unfinished Work,” an essay by Suzanne Mettler reflecting on American democracy at 250.

Admission is free with advance registration. Visitors may reserve timed entry through the Vilcek Foundation website. A complimentary digital exhibition guide and audio experience will also be available through Bloomberg Connects.