Why McCann Dropped a Statue of a Fearless Girl Next to Wall Streets Charging Bull Overnight

[brooklynite]

AdWeek:



Pedestrians in lower Manhattan had a new piece of branded art to ponder on Tuesday morning, as McCann New York and client State Street Global Advisors conspired in the middle of the night to drop a statue in Bowling Green Park of a girl facing off against the famous Wall Street Charging Bull.

The stunt, timed to International Women’s Day on Wednesday, is meant to symbolize the power of women in leadership. More specifically, it’s part of a campaign by SSGA to emphasize that companies with women in top positions perform better financially.

The sculpture, titled “The Fearless Girl,” was made by Kristen Visbal and photographed by Federica Valabrega. The guerrilla aspect of the placement is in keeping with the Charging Bull itself, which was installed without permission by artist Arturo Di Modica in 1989. It was meant to be a symbol of the strength and power of the American people following the stock-market crash of 1987. Residents fell in love with it, and the city allowed it to remain.

McCann did get a permit for the girl statue. It will be up for at least a week, says the agency, which is negotiating with the city for it to become part of the art program so she can stay longer.

[Laurian]

1. I love it.

💕💕💕💕💕

[flying_wahini]

2. Wish they would leave it there!

I love it too!

[sheshe2]

3. Brilliant.

[procon]

4. That's brilliant!

Look at that feisty little girl! At first blush everyone can see that she's bold, and brave, and fearless, and ever so confident as she stands up against a huge, raging bull with her feet braced, fists planted on her hips and her chin lifted in challenge.

Go get 'em girl!

[iluvtennis]

11. +1000nt

[SharonAnn]

16. OMG, that looks a lot like a picture of me about 3-4 years old.

My mother said that I would often stand in that pose and announce "Don't! I'll do it myself!". She said I was the only of her 8 children who was so determined and at so young an age.

That girl is one after my own heart!

[Lucinda]

5. KNR

[Justice]

6. I love this!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Still though she is, still she persists. . . . nt

[Exilednight]

8. Great statue. I hope it stays.

[SCVDem]

9. Interpretation

I see this as America standing against tRump and his corrupt businesses.

Very nice!

[Scarsdale]

24. tRump

saw it, gave it a 5 on his scale of females and announced that "When she grows up, I will date her"

[littlemissmartypants]

10. Kicking.

Vigorously with quiet dignity in the spirit of the statue.

Thanks brooklynite. ♡

[Volaris]

12. I really want somebody to get a cutting torch

And castrate that damn Bull. It's the symbol of everything this country is doing wrong and ignoring.

Cool on the Little Girl statue tho, it looks appropriately defiant.

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. When Occupy gathered in NYC a few years ago, 8 policemen surrounded the golden bull.

I counted them.

I had taken the bull as not nice symbol of Wall Street.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

23. That would disappoint the tourists

People line up to take pictures with the balls.

[IronLionZion]

26. Trump will end the bull market anyway

without any defiant girls to get in his way.

actually the reasoning behind the girl statue was research showing higher returns with lower risk and volatility in companies run by female executives.

[Thor_MN]

13. Oooo, that looks like the start of a massacre...

[montana_hazeleyes]

14. Bowling Green Park!

[bonzotex]

17. thanks! k/r

Coolest thing I've seen in a long time.

[warmfeet]

18. Absolutely Brilliant! NT.

[calimary]

19. Bowling Green Park? She must represent the victims of the infamous Bowling Green Massacre!

Honoring our dead, obviously!

[packman]

29. Actually, there WAS a Bowling Green Park Massacre in that area

https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/history/events/real-bowling-green-massacre-2/


" (a) massacre actually did take place at the tip of Manhattan, though not by the nefarious “Muslim terrorists” whom Conway would have us fear. The real Bowling Green Massacre occurred in 1643 during what was known as Kieft’s War, and was perpetrated by white Christians. The Governor of New Netherlands Willem Kieft, sent European soldiers to move against two camps of refugee Natives, overriding the direction of his ruling council and the general sentiments of the colonists. The soldiers fell upon members of the Lenape Tribe with deeds that would long presage the notion of ISIS."

[calimary]

31. Most interesting, packman!

There really was a Bowling Green Massacre after all.

However, I suspect this wasn't what Kellyanne CONway was talking about.

[Ilsa]

20. I want her to stay. NT

[James48]

21. Her name is

Elizabeth Warren.

[LittleGirl]

22. This Little Girl

LOVES that! I still stand like that and I'm an old lady now.

edit: typo

[ProfessorGAC]

25. That's Really Cool!

The little girl statue is adorable and the symbolism is outstanding.

[NastyRiffraff]

27. It should stay!

It says something powerful about girls and women. I hope New Yorkers get up a petition to leave it.

[csziggy]

28. Their video about the statue - shows it being made and why

There are a number of videos on YouTube about this statue, some from news coverage. This is the one connected with the article in the OP.

[niyad]

30. k and r

[sammythecat]

32. "...meant to symbolize the power of women in leadership."

Until I read that, I had no idea what this whole thing was about. I still don't see the relationship. "Moments before being mangled into a lifeless rag doll, the spunky little girl blah, blah, ..." is the caption I'd expect if this was a photo from real life. Does this mean it really is ok to take a knife to a gunfight?

It did, however, remind me of the Tianamen Square guy facing down the tank but with one big difference. The tank guy's act was one of selfless bravery, while this just looks like the senseless and stubborn willfulness of a child who knows nothing of bulls or animal behavior and is about to get herself killed for no reason. I get it that this is supposed to be symbolic and inspiring but being fearless is not the same thing as being brave.

[brooklynite]

33. You DO realize that the Bull is equally symbolic?

I think you're overthinking this...

[sammythecat]

34. I am over thinking this. I can't help myself.

I get the symbolism but, for me, it works more the other way around. Wall Street's realization of the fact there isn't much standing in their way for doing whatever they want to do. I picture a miniature of this scene on the desk in Mr. Greed's private Wall Street office.