Celebratory Liberty Portraits Arrive in Brooklyn
Sports Illustrated
by Kenny Saint-Vil
The Liberty Portraits honor the New York Liberty’s first WNBA title with images that celebrate players not just as athletes, but as leaders, daughters, sisters and icons.
The Liberty Portraits: A Monument to the 2024 Champions by LaToya Ruby Frazier at Barclays Center to celebrate the New York Liberty’s first-ever WNBA championship.
A powerful new public art installation, The Liberty Portraits: A Monument to the 2024 Champions, by acclaimed artist LaToya Ruby Frazier, has been unveiled at Barclays Center. In a powerful intersection of sport, art and social story telling – the portraits celebrate the New York Liberty’s first-ever WNBA championship by turning the spotlight on the athletes not only as professionals, but as human beings with personal stories, and deep roots.
“I was inspired by the Statue of Liberty’s eternal promise,” said Frazier. “I’m interested in creating a bridge between the fans and the team, deepening a sense of compassion and commanding the dignity and respect the team deserves. These portraits are intended to stand as beacons of women’s leadership and the power of sisterhood.”
The nine-foot-tall, double sided portraits stretch across the plaza at Barclays Center. The work celebrates each player as both athlete and individual. One side shows a striking image of a player in uniform; on the reverse, we see each athlete in a deeply personal setting – with their families, in homes and places that shaped them.
The project was spearheaded by Clara Wu Tsai, Vice Chair of BSE Global and Governor of the Liberty, as the inaugural commission in a newly launched public art program at Barclays Center. The program will feature rotating works by contemporary artists.
“It’s an honor for Barclays Center to be home to LaToya Ruby Frazier’s first public art installation—and for the New York Liberty to be her chosen subject,” said Wu Tsai. “This is the inaugural work of a new art program designed to celebrate artists and the creative spirit of Brooklyn.”
The Liberty Portraits: A Monument to the 2024 Champions by LaToya Ruby Frazier
Drawing inspiration from the Statue of Liberty, the instillation reframes the champions as icons of freedom, power, and possibility. The work is intended as both tribute and a bridge – deepening the connection between team and fans.
The Liberty Portraits is free and open to the public on the plaza at Barclays Center through the 2025 WNBA season. It is not just a tribute to the champs, but a rally for visibility, and recognition for women athletes.
Courtesy of: Sports Illustrated
