Since her appearance in 2017, the Fearless Girl statue has been living across from the Charging Bull on Wall Street. The city has finally found her a permanent home facing the New York Stock Exchange where she will be moved by the end of the year.
Fearless Girl was commissioned by one of the world’s largest asset managers, Boston based, State Street Capital. The bronze sculpture by artist Kristen Visbal, was originally intended to be a temporary installation used to call attention to the lack of gender diversity on important corporate boards. However the popularity and press the statue has received since it was installed on International Women’s Day last year encouraged the city to keep it up.
While fans see the statue as a symbol of female empowerment and resiliency, there has been controversy surrounding her presence. Some critique the statue as a PR stunt for State Street while others like the artist of the Charging Bull, Arturo Di Modica, argue that her presence detracts from the original meaning of the bull (which was intended to depict American economic resiliency after the Stock Market crash in 1987).
Either way, the current display of the bull and the girl on the small pedestrian island in the middle of Broadway is a traffic hazard so the city began a search for a permanent solution this past February. As of now, the Fearless Girl will be moving to a new location across from the New York Stock Exchange and the Charging Bull may be following in tow.
In a statement put out by Mayor de Blasio he explained,
“We are proud to be home to the Fearless Girl. She is a powerful symbol of the need for change at the highest levels of corporate America—and she will become a durable part of our city’s civic life. This move to a new location will improve access for visitors and ensure that her message and impact continues to be heard.”
The city says it’s still working on securing a location for Charging Bull, though it will also be in the vicinity of the Stock Exchange.
Featured image: abc7ny.com