A new and striking addition has been made to Times Square in New York City: a massive, 12-foot tall bronze sculpture of a young woman. Created by figurative artist Thomas J. Price, the statue, installed in the middle of Duffy Square on Broadway and 46th Street facing 47th Street, will be on display until June 17.
Titled “Grounded in the Stars,” this sculpture is part of a series that aims to confront preconceived notions of identity and representation. Anchored by a wide base, the statue invites passersby to engage and observe. Unlike Duffy Square’s two other permanent statues of men, this sculpture features the woman in everyday clothes, her stance subtly nodding to Michelangelo’s iconic pieces.
Massive sculpture installed in Times Square
The creation of this sculpture involved observations, images, and open calls across New York, Los Angeles, and London. Alongside the massive sculpture, another work by Price will be displayed across billboards in the neighborhood.
The “Man Series,” featuring stop-motion animations, will play on the billboards nightly in May. This series foregrounds the intrinsic value of individuals and amplifies traditionally marginalized bodies on a monumental scale. In an official statement, Price remarked, “Times Square stands as an iconic symbol and site of convergence, uniting people from all walks of life, individual stories and experiences intersecting on a global platform.
The intention of my public works is to become part of the place they inhabit and its physical, material history, as well as the visitors that pass through and around the location, no matter how fleeting. I hope ‘Grounded in the Stars’ and ‘Man Series’ will instigate meaningful connections and bind intimate emotional states that allow for deeper reflection around the human condition and greater cultural diversity.”
Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to explore this thought-provoking installation and consider its deeper messages about identity and representation in today’s world.
