World-Famous Artist Warns Trump’s Border Patrol Goons to Stay Away From His Iconic Sculpture

World-famous sculptor Anish Kapoor has warned Donald Trump’s “fascist” federal immigration agents to stop using his famous Chicago ‘Bean’ sculpture as a propaganda tool—describing their photo-op in front of it as “abhorrent.”

The 71-year-old British-Indian artist said he had been “deeply horrified and saddened” to see a large group of Border Patrol agents—including their lead commander Gregory Bovino—assembling in Millennium Park for a staged shoot in front of his Cloud Gate, the popular attraction known colloquially as ‘The Bean.’

Cloud Gate, known as The Bean, reflects the city of Chicago, and draws visitors from around the world who take selfies in front of it. NurPhoto/Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

“The Bean and the whole of Millennium Park is a site of community, both for residents of Chicago, and all those hundreds of thousands of people who visit every year,” he told the Daily Beast in an interview.

“It draws people from different cultures, from different backgrounds. It brings them together to enjoy public art, public beauty. And of course, the Bean reflects—quite literally—the city of Chicago, which is a melting pot of culture.

“Border Patrol, and Donald Trump’s entire immigration policy, stands for the exact opposite of this. So to see these people who are going out there and targeting migrants using it for a self-congratulatory photo-op is horrifying.”

Blockclub Chicago reported that dozens of Border Patrol agents in green fatigues—many carrying large firearms—had gathered at the city’s Cloud Gate at 06.30 a.m. on Monday, with their chief, Bovino, and guard dogs up front.

Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino of the El Centro Sector stands amid a protest outside an ICE facility — Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino has been the hard-charging face of the deportation sweep in Chicago. Anadolu/Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

At 7 a.m., the horde of officers marched through the snow to the 24-meter-long, 14-meter-tall sculpture—unveiled in 2006 and ranked by TripAdvisor as one of the top 10 landmarks in the U.S.—accompanied by photographers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Having spotted the outlet’s photographer, Bovino reportedly told his unit to “mask up.”

During the shoot, Blockclub Chicago reported that one park worker had warned the DHS photographers that Kapoor is known to “sue” over disliked uses. In 2018, the National Rifle Association settled out of court on a copyright case the artist brought against the pro-gun group for using an image of Cloud Gate in a video without permission.

Kapoor—born in Mumbai and long based in the U.K.—told the Beast he is so angry at Border Patrol also using the Bean for publicity that he is consulting lawyers about potential legal remedies.

English-indian artist Anish Kapoor — Kapoor was so aghast to see immigration officers using his sculpture for PR, he is exploring legal options. Roberto Serra – Iguana Press/Roberto Serra – Iguana Press/Getty Images

“I’m in conversations about whether there’s space here to do something similar [as with the NRA],” he said. “I don’t know whether there is, to be perfectly straightforward, but I find it utterly horrific.”

As the photographers snapped away, one agent yelled, “Everyone say, ‘Little Village!’”—referencing the Mexican-American enclave six miles away that Bovino and his agents have repeatedly targeted, including last weekend, with aggression and tear gas.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 5: Protesters gather outside the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in downtown Chicago, demanding accountability and punishment for Gregory Bovino, Commander-at-large of the U.S. Border Patrol who failed to appear in person for his scheduled court proceedings, on November 5, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images) — Protesters have targeted Bovino and his use of disproportionate force. Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images

Kapoor said, “I’ve been to Chicago many times, and I found Little Village to be a sweet and lovely place. That these agents are chanting ‘Little Village’ in this way, in what is nothing less than a fascist battle cry of intimidation to the Mexican Americans who live there as part of the community of Chicago, is just awful, awful.”

By 7:30 a.m., the agents were gone, slipping over ice as they headed off on their latest immigration mission.

Bovino and his “Green Army” have been in Chicago at Trump’s direction since early September as part of ‘Operation Midway Blitz,’ a sweeping enforcement push as part of Trump’s 3,000 deportations-a-day demand that has sparked lawsuits, protests, and judicial limits on use of force and tear gas.

Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino throws tear gas in Little Village, Chicago, Illinois. Chicago Headline Club lawsuit. — Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino was found by a judge to have lied about his use of tear gas in an immigrant neighborhood. U.S. District Court

DHS has used footage and photographs of Border Patrol’s heavy-handed immigration detentions and battles with locals to promote itself and encourage recruitment.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has repeatedly condemned Midway Blitz. He also criticized Monday’s photo op, calling it “disgusting” and accusing federal officers of “producing reality TV moments” instead of keeping residents safe.

“This is ugly behavior,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told a news conference on Monday. “It’s unfortunate that this is the type of provocation that the president of the United States of America has endorsed. We don’t do that in the city of Chicago. We believe that all of our neighbors deserve to be protected, loved, and supported.”

The pair’s rebuke drew praise from Kapoor, who said, “Pritzker and Johnson have both stood up and spoken out, and done it with courage and in a forthright manner.

“I stand with them in their denunciation of Border Patrol’s activity in Chicago. Chicago will not be silent—indeed, the world will not be silent.”

Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker — Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker have been vocal in their criticism of the anti-migrant sweep. Chicago Tribune/Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

With so many public figures and organizations terrified of speaking out against the president for risk of repercussions, Kapoor believes it is vital to “speak out for human decency and tolerance,” adding that what is happening under Trump risks echoing the darkest chapters of the 20th century.

“I would go so far as to say that this is not that different at all from SS, Nazi troops, intimidating citizens, and the people they deem to be immigrants.

Reflection of tourists under Cloud Gate, known as The Bean, — Kapoor’s sculpture is made of steel plates inspired by liquid mercury. NurPhoto/Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

“The U.S. of A is a country of immigrants. That is the way it is. It is not white Protestant, as [the Trump administration’s] recent lies would propagate. Isn’t this [just] the beginning… It’s what happened to the Jews in Nazi Germany.”

Conceding that it was “tragic” speaking out in this way could make his future trips to the United States “problematic,” Kapoor added: “If we don’t coalesce, then we take part in this intimidation. I just don’t think that’s possible. It is important that we don’t fall into the fascist hole.”

Asked for his final message to Donald Trump and his administration, Kapoor did not flinch. “Go to hell,” he said.

The Daily Beast has contacted the DHS and White House for comment.

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