Zenos Frudakis—The Monument Man

Master sculptor Zenos Frudakis has spent the past fifty years bringing life to bronze, striving to capture not only the likeness but also the spirit of his subjects. His work often highlights individuals who have driven meaningful change in the world. Zenos is widely recognized for his public monuments, portrait statues, busts, and figurative sculptures.

His most celebrated piece, Freedom, has become an Internet icon, inspiring countless people in their pursuit of personal and societal liberation. Freedom was featured in Architectural Digest’s list of “10 of the Most Interesting Sculptures in the World,” and included in The Independent’s “Top Ten: Public Art.”

Sports Sculpture

Celebrate the spirit of athletic excellence with Zenos Frudakis’ dynamic bronze sports sculptures. His lifelike portrayals honor legendary figures from the world of sports, including greats such as Muhammad Ali, James J. Braddock, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart, Dinah Shore, Sandy Tatum, and Bob Jones.

Baseball fans will recognize the power and presence of All-Stars immortalized in bronze—Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Robin Roberts, Richie Ashburn, and the legendary Joe DiMaggio. Each sculpture captures not just the likeness, but the passion, movement, and legacy of these remarkable athletes.

Portrait Sculpture

View portrait monuments, statues, busts and relief sculptures by Zenos Frudakis.

Explore an extensive, award-winning collection of more than 100 bronze sculptures by Zenos Frudakis—created over five decades and displayed in public and private collections across the U.S. and around the world. His works include notable commissions such as the United States Air Force Memorial Honor Guard and sculptures of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as figures ranging from John D. MacArthur to Dame Lois Browne-Evans.

Zenos’ body of work features both historic and contemporary icons, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Albert Einstein, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Sir Winston Churchill, alongside modern figures such as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Nina Simone, and Don McLean.

International Recognition

Zenos's many accolades include the Hakone Award from the Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, Rodin Grand Prize, Japan (1990) for his sculpture Reaching; a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Development Grant for Sculpture awarded through a national competition (1985); and an Arts America Grant from the United States Information Agency (USIA) supporting sculpture, travel, and engagement with artists in Africa (1985).

The National Sculpture Society (NSS) of New York has honored Zenos with numerous distinctions, including the Herring Art in Architecture Award, Silver Medal of Honor for his life-size Irish Wolfhound sculpture (1986); as well as the President’s Prize, Gloria Medal; and the Edwin and Theresa Richards Award for Portraiture. He has also received the National Academy of Design Award in recognition for excellence in portraiture.

Zenos is currently recognized as an International Academician of the Burckhardt Akademie, Accademia Internazionale per L'Unita della Cultura in Rome, Italy; a National Academician of the National Academy of Design, and Fellow of the National Sculpture Society. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the National Sculpture Society (1988-1992), the Editorial Board of the National Sculpture Review (1990-1992), and the Board of Advisors for the International Sculpture Center Johnston Competition.

His sculptures are represented in numerous public and private collections worldwide, including the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa; The Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden; Glaxo plc, Research Triangle Park in Tokyo and London; Tralee, Ireland; Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina, US; Bermuda Justice Center in Bermuda; and the Utsukushi-ga-hara Open Air Museum in Hakone, Japan.