WASHINGTON, DC — A provocative ‘Jeffrey Epstein Walk of Shame’ unexpectedly surfaced in Farragut Square on Sunday, March 1, situated not far from the White House. The installation employs waterproof stickers styled akin to the Hollywood Walk of Fame stars, featuring Jeffrey Epstein’s image beneath the names and titles of various prominent individuals. These names were found in the recent release of 3 million files associated with the convicted sex offender. The work highlights approximately 20 figures, including Epstein, his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, arts patron Les Wexner, billionaire and Museum of Modern Art trustee Leon Black, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, film producer Harvey Weinstein, the recently arrested former Prince Andrew, and ex-President Bill Clinton.
Each sticker is paired with a QR code, directing viewers to evidence linking these individuals to Epstein or to the Department of Justice’s Epstein Library. As of now, no artist or group has claimed responsibility for the installation. The stickers are strategically placed around the bronze statue of David Glasgow Farragut, a Union naval commander from the Civil War, sculpted by Vinnie Ream in 1881. Ream was notably the first female artist commissioned by the US government to create the Abraham Lincoln statue in the Capitol Rotunda in 1886.
During a visit by Hyperallergic on Tuesday afternoon, they observed that Elon Musk’s star had been partially removed, although the QR code and a 2012 email exchange between Epstein and Musk remained. Reports suggest Musk’s star was removed shortly after the stickers appeared. Attempts to gather public opinion from passersby were unsuccessful, with individuals declining to comment on the record.
This project is not the first of its kind in Washington, DC. Earlier in January, a 10-foot-tall Epstein birthday card replica, featuring Donald Trump’s signature and a suggestive silhouette, was erected on the National Mall. Additionally, a sculpture of Trump and Epstein holding hands has frequently appeared and been removed by US Park Police. Both pieces were attributed to Secret Handshake, a local resistance artist collective. Hyperallergic has contacted Secret Handshake and the National Parks Service for comments regarding the authorization of public artwork installations.
