The Fearless Girl statue in New York City, which has become an iconic figure on Wall Street in New York City, has been surrounded by a shattered glass ceiling.
The bronze sculpture was created by artist Kristen Visbal, and was first installed in the city on March 7, 2017, to recognize and celebrate International Women's Day.
Per USA Today, the sculpture measures 50 inches tall and weighs 250 pounds, and was created to send the message of promoting gender diversity in the workplace.
Now, as the statue celebrates its fourth anniversary, the Fearless Girl has been surrounded by panels of "broken" glass - further promoting an inspiring message to all girls and women that glass ceilings are there to be shattered.
A nearby plaque reads: "Today's broken glass ceilings are tomorrow's stepping stones." Talk about using art to make political statements.
And per Time Out, State Street Global Advisors President and Chief Executive Officer Cyrus Taraporevala said in an official statement during a presentation of the updated artwork:
"Despite great progress, this past year we have seen how the pandemic disproportionately affected women who had to leave their jobs to care for their families, as well as the negative impact on racially and ethnically diverse communities.
"Today, in celebration of International Women’s Day, we have installed a broken glass ceiling surrounding Fearless Girl as a symbol of the new ground women are breaking every day."
The Fearless Girl was originally commissioned by State Street Global Advisor, and was first installed opposite Arturo Di Modica's Raging Bull statue at the northern tip of Bowling Green on Broadway.
However, after Di Modica complained that the Fearless Girl was nothing more than an "advertising trick", she was in November of 2018 and relocated to Wall Steet a month later.
But despite her removal, a plaque resembling the Fearless Girl's footprints were left where she once stood, and people are now encouraged to "stand for her".
Either way, it doesn't matter where you put the Fearless Girl - she's going to keep encouraging women to smash those glass ceilings.
Happy International Women's Day and Month!
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