By Verena Dobnik
NEW YORK (AP) --New York's "Fearless Girl" statue that has become a global symbol of female business prowess will be moved from her spot staring down Wall Street's bronze "Charging Bull" to a new home facing the New York Stock Exchange.
And the bull, a longtime fixture and tourist attraction at the foot of Broadway, may wind up following in her footsteps.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that "Fearless Girl," a sculpture by Kristen Visbal of a girl with her hands on her hips and chin pointed up, will be moved by the end of the year to a permanent home near the stock exchange.
Conceived by McCann New York, the statue was installed in March 2017 by the Boston-based State Street Global Advisors financial firm as a temporary display lasting a few weeks to encourage corporations to put more women on their boards. But its popularity spawned an online petition seeking to keep it. The city agreed.
Much of its popularity hinged on its juxtaposition with the 11-foot-tall (3-meter-tall), 7,100-pound bull statue, which Italian sculptor Arturo Di Modica created as a symbol of American financial resilience following the 1987 stock market crash. Di Modica wanted the girl gone, saying she altered the dynamic of his bull and was no more than what he called "an advertising trick."
Relief for the sculptor, though, may not be coming.
"The Bull will almost certainly be moved and will very likely wind up reunited with 'Fearless Girl,' " de Blasio's spokesman, Eric Phillips, wrote on Twitter.
The two figures on a Broadway traffic median have become such a popular draw that it constitutes a safety hazard, with crowds often spilling into the street, city officials said.
After the announcement, visitors from around the world swirled around the ponytailed girl in a windblown dress.
The bull and the girl belong together, said Martine Guillon, a high school teacher visiting from Paris.
"A little girl can be stronger than a big animal; she's a human mental force that is bigger than animal force," Guillon said in her native French. "It touches me a lot to see, in front of this enormity, the force of a little girl with her hands on her hips who knows how to say, 'I'm here too, I count too, and even if I'm a very little girl, if you push with animal strength, you won't get far.'"
The relocation to the stock exchange, three blocks away, would bring the bull back to its original place where it was delivered on a forklift truck as guerrilla art during the night in December 1989 to express financial survival after the stock market collapse.
"Moving her to the stock exchange will show that a woman really has a place there," said Lin Mateedulsatit, a 26-year-old woman who works for a chemical trading company in Thailand.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More