NYC’s best new exhibits and outdoor art installations have a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion, including the “Grounded in Stars” statue by Thomas J. Price.
The famed British artist created a 12-foot-tall bronze figure of a young Black woman in casual clothes, which he constructed from photos, observations, and even open calls from L.A. to London. Mirrored after Michelangelo’s “David,“ Price’s work intends to combat any preconceived notions of identity and representation.
Per the installation’s description, the statue disrupts traditional notions of what it means to be triumphant — something that’s depicted through the woman’s clothing, posture, and scale. Its meant to “challenge who should be rendered immortal through monumentalization.”
All about the “Grounded in the Stars” statue
The artist adds, “Times Square stands as an iconic symbol and site of convergence, uniting people from all walks of life, individual stories, and experiences intersecting on a global platform. The intention of my public works is to become part of the place they inhabit and its physical, material history, as well as the visitors that pass through and around the location, no matter how fleeting.”
In conjunction with the statue’s placement along W. 46th Street and Broadway, Times Square Arts will display Price’s stop-motion animations “Man Series” on over 90 of the neighborhood’s billboards. This will take place nightly from 11:57pm to 12am, throughout May, as part of the Midnight Moments program.
“I hope Grounded in the Stars and Man Series will instigate meaningful connections and bind intimate emotional states that allow for deeper reflection around the human condition and greater cultural diversity,” the artist adds.
Additionally, “Amy Sherald: American Sublime” at the Whitney boasts similar intentions. There are over 50 works in the artist’s first solo show for the museum, including portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. Its meant to encourage more Black representation in portraiture.
Lastly, opening May 15th, is the outdoor art installation “Path of Liberty: That Which Unites Us” by The Soloviev Foundation.
With 41 large-scale screens that span over six acres, this immersive experience focuses on America’s pillars through photographs and audio clips. Expect interviews from all walks of life who weigh in on what liberty and equality mean to them today.
📍 46th Street and Broadway
🗓️ Through June 12th