Statues may be erected for many different reasons, and at times, they can even cause controversy. That seems to be exactly what happened in Duffy Square.
On the northern side of Duffy Square on Broadway, a massive 12-foot-tall bronze sculpture of a young Black person was installed. It faces 47th and 46th Street.
The young Black woman stands with her hands on her hips, wearing pants and a T-shirt. It’s a casual look, but one that has caused people to take polarized positions.
She appears to be staring blankly into space. The piece is part of a series created by UK figurative artist Thomas J Price. This statue, titled Grounded in the Stars, was placed for the same reason he creates all the works in the series.
Price is interested in deconstructing the ideas people have about identity. Many of those ideas are preconceived, but this work takes the concept even further.
The statue is meant to show that a Black person can stand their ground and claim the space around them freely.
Price said: “I hope this statue will instigate meaningful connections and bind intimate emotional states that enable deeper reflection around the human condition and a greater sense of cultural diversity.
“The work is a composite fictional character, unfixed and boundless, and enables many to imagine what it would be like to take on space neutrally without any kind of preconceived ideas and misrepresentation.”
Unfortunately, many complaints have come in about the display. It’s not necessarily what it represents—it’s the sheer size and the sudden presence of something that appears to come out of nowhere.
