The “Fearless Girl” will be moved from her spot staring down the “Charging Bull” by the end of the year, the mayor’s office said.
The 4-foot bronze statue, which was originally placed in the Financial District on March 7, 2017, the night before International Women’s Day, will be put in front of the New York Stock Exchange, mayoral spokeswoman Jane Meyer said.
With the purpose of shedding light on the lack of gender diversity on corporate boards, the statue quickly became a tourist attraction. It was only expected to stay for a week, but due to its popularity, Mayor Bill de Blasio extended the permit, allowing it to stay for more than a year.
“Fearless Girl’s” new “long-term” location will maintain the statue’s symbolism, while offering a more pedestrian-friendly area than Bowling Green, the mayor’s office said.
“This move to a new location will improve access for visitors and ensure that her message and impact continues to be heard,” de Blasio said in a statement.
“We eagerly await the arrival of ‘Fearless Girl’ to her fitting new home, standing her ground and training her unblinking eyes on our engine of progress and free enterprise,” NYSE president Thomas Farley said.
Though it is a popular attraction, the statue is not without critics. The artist behind the iconic “Charging Bull” accused State Street Global Advisors, the investment company that owns the statue, of using it to advertise one of its funds. The artist, Arturo Di Modica, also said the statue violated his copyright to the “Charging Bull” by changing the meaning of the work.
The mayor’s office said the bull may also be moved to “the vicinity of the stock exchange,” but details about when and where were not provided.
