Fate of "Fearless Girl" statue determined
NEW YORK -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says the wildly popular statue of a young girl staring down Wall Street’s famous Charging Bull will be allowed to remain through February 2018.
De Blasio says the artwork, called “Fearless Girl” by artist Kristen Visbal, has inspired many people and “fueled powerful conversations about women in leadership.” He calls the decision “a fitting path for a girl who refuses to quit.”
The statue, which stands on Department of Transportation property, will get a longer-term permit through the department’s art program, the Daily News reports.
The bronze statue depicts a young girl -- with head held high and hands firmly planted on her waist -- staring down an icon of Wall Street. It was installed earlier this month in the middle of the night just in time for International Women’s Day. It immediately became a tourist draw and internet sensation.
It originally was supposed to stay until April 2.
City officials and fans of the statue planned to City Hall on Monday to campaign to keep the work of art on permanent display, CBS New York reports.
“The importance of empowering women is not temporary, and Fearless Girl must become a permanent fixture in our city as a reminder to all women that no dream is too big and no ceiling is too high,” Letitia James, public advocate for the City of New York, said in a statement.
The idea for the statue was hatched by one of the financial world’s biggest firms: State Street Global Advisors, CBS News’ Alex Wagner reported. They urge a call to action for more women to serve on corporate boards.
Lori Heinel, an executive with the firm, told CBS News: “I think she’s pushing back, but she’s also engaging in a powerful way. So this isn’t about pushing men aside. It’s about claiming the space that 50 percent of the occupation rightfully should lay claim to.”
A plaque at the statue’s feet reads: “Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.”