Doctorow’s comments included a grim reckoning, alluding to the Trump administration. “This is a time when hope is in short supply,” he said. “I hope this [statue] inspires you to have hope … to make the world a little better in some material way.” 

Swartz’s philosophy that information should be freely accessible to all is the core of the Internet Archive, which preserves everything from websites to books to academic papers. “We were happy to host the event, said Evan Sirchuk, the Internet Archive’s community and events coordinator. “It’s a really good fit, in terms of alignment.”

The 312-pound statue, carved from Carrara marble sourced from Italy, was crafted using a mix of AI-driven robotic milling and traditional hand carving. Peniche invested $10,000 of his own money into the project, with the remaining $53,500 scraped from donors that included Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe and Mana CEO Max Novendstern. Swartz’s mother provided the photos used to design the statue, and signed off on it, Peniche said.

Despite being a teenager in Mexico when Swartz died, Peniche was obsessed with making this project happen. “We have to preserve net neutrality,” he said. “We must preserve freedom of speech, access to information and privacy. This statue stands for something people can rally behind.”

Anna-Sofia Lesiv, 27, an investor at Humba Ventures, agreed. “Celebrating Aaron’s legacy is incredibly overdue in San Francisco,” she said. “He’s been a very inspiring figure to me, before I ever even came to Silicon Valley.”

For most of the evening, the bust sat shrouded on a pillar on stage, surrounded by oversized bouquets. 

Finally, Peniche pulled off the cloth with a flourish. It looked remarkably lifelike, Rein said. Swartz’s expression was contemplative, his hair tousled, the folds of his signature hoodie perfectly carved. Swartz’s name and the tagline, “The Internet’s Own Boy,” was inscribed below the bust, referencing the 2014 documentary, “The Internet’s Own Boy,” about his life.