Bronze Statue Erected in the Center of Times Square: Declared a Symbol of the “Human Condition” and “Diversity”

The sculpture, titled Grounded in the Stars, was created by artist Thomas J. Price. According to him, the nearly four-meter-tall monument is intended to “encourage empathy.” The sculpture, which depicts a black woman with her hands on her hips, also symbolizes the “common experience” of people and contrasts with nearby white monuments to musician George Cohen and chaplain Francis Duffy. According to the description of the work, the pose of the plump woman — with a slight shift in the center of gravity and a relaxed stance — refers to Michelangelo’s “David.” The sculpture also questions who society considers worthy of monumental immortalization. The statue will be placed in the square until June 17.