Who Gets to Be Seen?: A bronze sculpture in Times Square is challenging who we choose to celebrate in public spaces.
What’s happening
Grounded in the Stars—is a
12-foot-tall bronze sculpture
by Thomas J. Price, is turning heads in the heart of New York City.
It depicts a fictional Black woman, based on observations and open calls from London to LA, standing tall in everyday clothes with braided hair.
The work challenges traditional ideas of who gets memorialized, and what power and dignity can look like in public art.
📍 Grounded in the Starts will be on view from April 29–June 17, 2025, Broadway Plaza (46th–47th St)
Sources: Times Square, Thomas J. Price
Grounded in the Stars is part of a global movement to rethink who we honor in public spaces.
Most U.S. statues depict white men in power. In NYC and cities worldwide, only 3-4% of public statues are of women. Thomas J. Price’s work challenges this by centering a Black woman, “celebrating everyday presence and worth”.
Sources: Statues for Equality, The New York Times
The statue has sparked powerful conversations, and many are celebrating its fresh perspective.
It has also faced backlash, including racist and misogynistic attacks as well as criticism for reinforcing harmful stereotypes about Black women.
A petition led by a young Black woman calls for its removal, saying that—though possibly well-intended—it has sparked online hate, real-world mockery, and reinforces harmful stereotypes.
“Black women did not ask for this statue. Black women were not consulted. And now, we are the ones paying the emotional, mental, and social cost for it.”
Why is a casually dressed Black woman so controversial?
She’s not a general, a president, or a mythic hero. She’s someone we might walk by every day. And that’s the point.
Grounded in the Stars invites us to ask:
→Who gets to be seen in our public spaces?
→What makes a person “monument-worthy”?
→What stories have we ignored for too long?
Take Action:
→ Advocate for inclusive public
art in your community.
→ Support Black artists reshaping cultural narratives: @thomasjprice_studio, @muholizanele, LaToya Ruby Frazier
→ Discover feminist art: @art.feminist
→ Stay informed. Follow @FEMINIST
