Giant woke statue of Black woman in Times Square scares the hell out of NYC

A towering new statue of a 12-foot-tall Black woman in casual clothing now stands in New York City’s Times Square, part of what its creators call a “two-part takeover” meant to provoke reflection on diversity and identity.

Commissioned by Times Square Arts, the sculpture, titled Grounded in the Stars, was designed by British artist Thomas J Price and unveiled alongside his “Man Series” animated billboards. Both installations are temporary, but they’ve already sparked discussion for their overt contrast with Times Square’s long-standing monuments.

Price, known for exploring themes of race and representation, said in a statement that he hopes the statue encourages deeper reflection on “the human condition and greater cultural diversity.” His website emphasizes his decades-long work confronting “implicit and explicit expressions of anti-Blackness.”

According to Price, the woman depicted in Grounded in the Stars is not modeled after a specific person, but rather meant to represent a marginalized identity presented with dignity and authority. Her casual stance and expression, he says, communicate self-assurance and quiet strength.

The Times Square Arts website describes the statue as a deliberate contrast to the area’s existing monuments, referring to them simply as “both white, both men.” Those longstanding statues honor two historic figures: Father Francis P. Duffy, the most decorated military chaplain in U.S. history, and George M. Cohan, the Broadway pioneer and composer of You’re a Grand Old Flag.