Prior to the celebrations of International Women's Day this year, a sculpture was unveiled at the business district of New York, on the 7th of March. It was named 'Fearless Girl'. The four-feet tall, frock-clad figurine of a young girl child is sculpted in bronze, who observe astutely at someone or something at a distance from her. Her staid is firm, bold and her head held high in defiance. Artist Christen Visbal got commissioned to sculpt it from the State Street Global Advisors, an investment conglomerate, who claims that the piece of art is an act of respect to women and acknowledges the contribution of women in corporate world. In a plaque at the base of the figure, it reads: “Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.”
But to whom is the girl defiant at? On the footpath she stands, in a few meters distance, lies another bronze state - the three ton massive enormity of a bull figure - the iconic 'Charging Bull' of the New York Stock Exchange fame. As a symbol of one of the most important stock indexes of the world, the imagery associated with the bull is not quite unknown to us. To a naive sight, the small girl child is throwing a challenge at the raging, flaring bull. The muscular rage and enormous physicality of the bull embodies the masculine essence and dominance, to the front of which lies the fearlessness of a gentle girl. The imbalanced gender-ratio in corporate and business domains is at the crux of criticism meted out by the artwork. The sculptor of the bull, Arturo di Modica, has raised several pleas to have the 'Fearless Girl' removed from the vicinity of the Bull.
When global economy took a nosedive in 1987, Italian resident di Modica, in a wish to salute the indefatigable American spirit. gifted the sculpture of 'Bull' to the city of New York. Incurring an expense of two years' of time and 350 thousand dollars, the artwork itself was considered to a piece of guerilla art at its own time. Arturo dedicated it to the poeple at large and considered it to be his personal statement; he did not speak for any corporation or enterprise. For over thirty years, as US economy has aggresively expanded and capitalism has become a hallmark of hope, the Bull has acquired a remarkable cultural stature in the heartland of the world's most important financial district.
What was once a national icon of hope has, over time, became a dear artefact of the capitalist classes and mega-corporations of the liberal market economy. Meanings attributed to art undergo revisions, as true to the whims and cultures of time, and dominant tastes of eras. To come to think of it, the entire strength of being that the girl epitomizes loses its steam in the physical absence of the bull figure placed in opposition to it. She might then be a girl, but the definition embodied in fearlessness loses relevance. The girl is a guerilla artifact in response to the bull, not a guerilla artefact in immediate response to the underpinnings of gender-imbalanced corporate boardrooms. What was, till the moment prior to strategic placement of the girl, an icon for something noble, now stood for patriarchical dominance and heavy-handed subjugation. Who imposed this meaning, is a question of utmost relevance. State Street Global Advisors, who commissioned for this artefact for the anniversary of their Gender Diversity Index fund, has their NASDAQ ticker which reads - SHE. To read this in relevance of what is written on the plaque below: "... SHE makes a difference" In a ploy to drive sentiments towards something truly urgent, a pressing issue, a cause of deep concern, the coproration makes the onlookers chant their own name, if one reads the finer print.
The campaign revolving around this four-feet tall sculpture was implemented by McCann, a widely renowned advertising and branding agency. Needless to say, it rode enormous PR ride and spin to say what it had to say. The campaign was feted with three awards at Cannes Lions, advertising world's biggest annual festival. It takes a worldwide famed advertising agency to dismantle the voice of a guerilla artefact to position itself as the next-big guerilla artefact. Subversion often acts as the voice of the oppressed to lay claim to their speech. In this case, it acts to further the promotion of a capitalist's mode of protest.
One questions thus because it squanders an extremely valid and important discourse for easy points in sectarian feminism. Moreover, it fails to see inclusivity of a wider populace. Could the image have sustained its statement if it was placed in some other footpath, away from the sight of the bull? Was it worthwhile to invite skirmishes, stray discourses in the public art domain? Could the sculpture have been that of a girl of some other proportions (so as not to invite the obvious contrast between the figures) and both of them standing resolute beside one another, in good faith, taking the challenges head-on, together?
But to whom is the girl defiant at? On the footpath she stands, in a few meters distance, lies another bronze state - the three ton massive enormity of a bull figure - the iconic 'Charging Bull' of the New York Stock Exchange fame. As a symbol of one of the most important stock indexes of the world, the imagery associated with the bull is not quite unknown to us. To a naive sight, the small girl child is throwing a challenge at the raging, flaring bull. The muscular rage and enormous physicality of the bull embodies the masculine essence and dominance, to the front of which lies the fearlessness of a gentle girl. The imbalanced gender-ratio in corporate and business domains is at the crux of criticism meted out by the artwork. The sculptor of the bull, Arturo di Modica, has raised several pleas to have the 'Fearless Girl' removed from the vicinity of the Bull.
When global economy took a nosedive in 1987, Italian resident di Modica, in a wish to salute the indefatigable American spirit. gifted the sculpture of 'Bull' to the city of New York. Incurring an expense of two years' of time and 350 thousand dollars, the artwork itself was considered to a piece of guerilla art at its own time. Arturo dedicated it to the poeple at large and considered it to be his personal statement; he did not speak for any corporation or enterprise. For over thirty years, as US economy has aggresively expanded and capitalism has become a hallmark of hope, the Bull has acquired a remarkable cultural stature in the heartland of the world's most important financial district.
What was once a national icon of hope has, over time, became a dear artefact of the capitalist classes and mega-corporations of the liberal market economy. Meanings attributed to art undergo revisions, as true to the whims and cultures of time, and dominant tastes of eras. To come to think of it, the entire strength of being that the girl epitomizes loses its steam in the physical absence of the bull figure placed in opposition to it. She might then be a girl, but the definition embodied in fearlessness loses relevance. The girl is a guerilla artifact in response to the bull, not a guerilla artefact in immediate response to the underpinnings of gender-imbalanced corporate boardrooms. What was, till the moment prior to strategic placement of the girl, an icon for something noble, now stood for patriarchical dominance and heavy-handed subjugation. Who imposed this meaning, is a question of utmost relevance. State Street Global Advisors, who commissioned for this artefact for the anniversary of their Gender Diversity Index fund, has their NASDAQ ticker which reads - SHE. To read this in relevance of what is written on the plaque below: "... SHE makes a difference" In a ploy to drive sentiments towards something truly urgent, a pressing issue, a cause of deep concern, the coproration makes the onlookers chant their own name, if one reads the finer print.
The campaign revolving around this four-feet tall sculpture was implemented by McCann, a widely renowned advertising and branding agency. Needless to say, it rode enormous PR ride and spin to say what it had to say. The campaign was feted with three awards at Cannes Lions, advertising world's biggest annual festival. It takes a worldwide famed advertising agency to dismantle the voice of a guerilla artefact to position itself as the next-big guerilla artefact. Subversion often acts as the voice of the oppressed to lay claim to their speech. In this case, it acts to further the promotion of a capitalist's mode of protest.
One questions thus because it squanders an extremely valid and important discourse for easy points in sectarian feminism. Moreover, it fails to see inclusivity of a wider populace. Could the image have sustained its statement if it was placed in some other footpath, away from the sight of the bull? Was it worthwhile to invite skirmishes, stray discourses in the public art domain? Could the sculpture have been that of a girl of some other proportions (so as not to invite the obvious contrast between the figures) and both of them standing resolute beside one another, in good faith, taking the challenges head-on, together?
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