{"id":2432223,"date":"2025-05-08T07:21:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T11:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/giant-plus-sized-black-woman-statue-causes-a-stir-in-times-square\/"},"modified":"2025-05-08T07:25:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T11:25:36","slug":"giant-plus-sized-black-woman-statue-causes-a-stir-in-times-square","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/giant-plus-sized-black-woman-statue-causes-a-stir-in-times-square\/","title":{"rendered":"Giant &#8216;Plus-Sized Black Woman&#8217; Statue Causes a Stir in Times Square"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgiant-plus-sized-black-woman-statue-causes-a-stir-in-times-square%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2432223&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In Times Square, New York City, two longstanding statues of ancient figures, Father Francis P. Duffy and George M. Cohan, have recently been joined by a new sculpture titled &#8220;Grounded in the Stars&#8221; by artist Thomas J. Price. this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/times-square-statue-challenges-identity-norms-with-nod-to-michelangelos-david\/\" title=\"... ... ... &#039;identity&#039; norms with &#039;nod&#039; to Michelangelo\u2019s David\">12-foot bronze statue<\/a> depicts a &#8220;plus<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kathy-hilton-mistakes-lizzo-for-fictional-precious-character-viewers-melt-down-over-her-racist-mistake\/\" title=\"Kathy Hilton Mistakes Lizzo For Fictional \u2018Precious\u2019 Character, Viewers Melt Down Over Her \u2018Racist\u2019 Mistake\">-sized black woman<\/a>,&#8221; designed to challenge conventional concepts of monuments and celebrate diversity. The artwork has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/conservatives-disgusted-and-liberals-delighted-by-boehner-crying-at-tribute-for-pelosi\/\" title=\"Conservatives Disgusted and Liberals Delighted by Boehner Crying at Tribute for Pelosi\">elicited mixed reactions<\/a>, underscoring the ongoing debate over public art and representation.<\/p>\n<p>Price&#8217;s sculpture draws parallels to Michelangelo&#8217;s &#8220;David&#8221; through its pose and materiality, aiming to disrupt the convention of who is considered worthy of monumentality. Described as a fictional character based on various influences, the statue invites viewers to engage with the idea of what it means to be immortalized in art, particularly highlighting marginalized bodies.<\/p>\n<p>Critics have labeled the statue as a mere provocation, questioning its artistic importance and contrasts it unfavorably against traditional monuments of historic male figures. The piece remains in Duffy Square until June 17, 2025, and is part of Price&#8217;s &#8220;Man Series,&#8221; which seeks to amplify individual stories within public spaces. this installation encapsulates the tension between contemporary artistic expression and traditional representations in public art.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_2)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>In a corner of Times Square in New York City, there&rsquo;s a subsection known as Duffy Square.<\/p>\n<p>There stands two statues, which have been there since the middle of the 20th century. One is that of Father <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nycgovparks.org\/parks\/father-duffy-square\/monuments\/416\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Francis P. Duffy<\/a>, a military chaplain and member of the New York Army National Guard who served in both the Spanish-American War and World War I. That statue was dedicated by Mayor Fiorella LaGuardia in May of 1937.<\/p>\n<p>Then, in 1959, the statue of Duffy was joined by one of George M. Cohan, the songwriter who <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.nytimes.com\/www.nytimes.com\/learning\/general\/onthisday\/bday\/0703.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">received<\/a> a Congressional Medal of Honor from then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt for writing the unofficial anthem of U.S. troops in World War II, &ldquo;Over There.&rdquo; (He&rsquo;s also responsible for &ldquo;Give My Regards to Broadway,&rdquo; &ldquo;The Yankee Doodle Boy,&rdquo; and &ldquo;You&rsquo;re a Grand Old Flag,&rdquo; for those of you keeping track at home.)<\/p>\n<p>Those two eminences are now joined by a &ldquo;plus-sized black woman.&rdquo; What plus-sized black woman? Well, what plus-sized black woman do you want her to be?<\/p>\n<p>No, seriously: That&rsquo;s apparently the artistic intent behind the statue &ldquo;Grounded in the Stars&rdquo; by Thomas J., Price, a 12-foot-fall bronze sculpture which, according to the official Times Square <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timessquarenyc.org\/tsq-arts-projects\/grounded-in-the-stars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a>, &ldquo;reimagines both the monument and monumentality in Times Square.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=s28Az7AY\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;A fictionalized character constructed from images, observations, and open calls spanning between Los Angeles and London, the young woman depicted in &lsquo;Grounded in the Stars&rsquo; carries familiar qualities, from her stance and countenance to her everyday clothing,&rdquo; the website said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In her depiction, one recognizes a d humanity, yet the contrapposto pose of her body and the ease of her stance is a subtle nod to Michelangelo&rsquo;s &lsquo;David.&rsquo; Through scale, materiality, and posture, &lsquo;Grounded in the Stars&rsquo; disrupts traditional ideas around what defines a triumphant figure and challenges who should be rendered immortal through monumentalization.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Grounded in the Stars &ndash; A <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >groundbreaking 12-ft bronze sculpture<\/a> by Thomas J. Price now stands at Times Square until June 17, 2025! &#127775; This piece challenges traditional public monuments, celebrating diversity and inviting everyone to interact. Don&rsquo;t miss the stunning animations&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IEOoPwgKmw\">pic.twitter.com\/IEOoPwgKmw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Artmajeur (@artmajeur) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/artmajeur\/status\/1917484937969631450?\">April 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Ah, yes, it &ldquo;disrupts!&rdquo; I&rsquo;m pretty sure I chose the wrong career path: I ought to have just gone to every major blue-city planning commission looking for submissions for publicly funded art pieces, just written the word &ldquo;disrupt&rdquo; on a piece of paper, and gotten a six-figure commission.<\/p>\n<p>And apparently, it&rsquo;s not hard to get attention for &ldquo;disruption,&rdquo; or even to qualify for &ldquo;disrupting,&rdquo; since this looks like a fake-bronze plastic statue that resulted from hooking a ChatGPT-enabled laptop up to a 3D printer and entering the prompt &ldquo;Create a bored person in line at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/al-sharptons-threat-works-target-ceo-folds-demand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Target<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But we&rsquo;re supposed to believe this is akin to Michelangelo&rsquo;s &ldquo;David,&rdquo; or that the thought of it even crossed the artist&rsquo;s mind. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/2015\/01\/20-years-after-its-release-a-very-brady-meme.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sure, Jan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; Price is quoted as saying in the Times Square statement.<\/p>\n<p>And, of course, it&rsquo;s meant to disrupt via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/think-kamala-bad-vp-look-woman-shortlist-just-wildfire-racked-los-angeles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">intersectionality<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Installed at ground level on a wide low base, the work invites engagement with the hundreds of thousands of people who traverse the plazas each day, the woman in &lsquo;Grounded in the Stars&rsquo; cuts a stark contrast to the pedestaled permanent monuments &mdash; both white, both men &mdash; which bookend Duffy Square, while embodying a quiet gravity and grandeur,&rdquo; the statement read.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In a culture that increasingly encourages a faster pace, &lsquo;Grounded in the Stars&rsquo; is an introspective meditation on humanity. Price&rsquo;s work offers viewers a unique opportunity to experience Times Square in a new light, and  in a moment of personal reflection and empathy amidst the hyperactivity of the district.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>So basically, the statement is this: If you&rsquo;re a white man, we expect something of you to deserve a statue. If you&rsquo;re a black woman, say, you simply need to exist. It helps if you&rsquo;re overweight and anonymous. Congratulations on the most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/new-study-dei-trainings-make-people-see-racism-even-isnt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">self-defeating example of elitist racism<\/a> I&rsquo;ve seen in quite some time, Thomas Price and New York City.<\/p>\n<p>By the way, this is part of Price&rsquo;s &ldquo;Man Series,&rdquo; which are apparently stop-motion animations that play on Times Square&rsquo;s billboards, a sculptural installation that (the Times Square website&rsquo;s words) &ldquo;forms a two-part takeover in Times Square that foregrounds the intrinsic value of the individual and amplifies traditionally marginalized bodies on a monumental scale.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Oh, it foregrounds something on a monumental scale, all right. I&rsquo;ll give it that much.<\/p>\n<p>This dim provocation drew the usual reactions: You either recited the shibboleths of the enlightened, or you scoffed. Here&rsquo;s a lot of the former from a WCBS-TV report:<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-embed\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hOifDS3Np08?si=e5mcLtNapAymuCx-\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>As for the latter, look to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/fugitive-taunts-law-enforcement-social-media-quickly-regrets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a>, because local TV ain&rsquo;t going to play the reality game:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">&ldquo;Grounded in the Stars disrupts traditional ideas around what defines a triumphant figure and challenges who should be rendered immortal through monumentalization.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The aesthetic of an overweight black woman is worth immortalizing? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LGykEZk0FC\">pic.twitter.com\/LGykEZk0FC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; TBR (@_BarringtonII) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_BarringtonII\/status\/1920125528733888669?\">May 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">A 12-foot bronze statue in times square, through June 17th. The Thomas J. Price piece, called &ldquo;Grounded with the Stars,&rdquo; is a realistic representation of the girl at Chipotle after asking her to put another scoop of peppers on your burrito bowl <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/VCDzo60yDV\">pic.twitter.com\/VCDzo60yDV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; John Buck (@BucknerNYNY) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BucknerNYNY\/status\/1919793618606309472?\">May 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">We used to be a proper society that made exquisite art. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/iZMtksZpDf\">pic.twitter.com\/iZMtksZpDf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; &#119814;&#119851;&#119838;&#119840; (@WaywardGreg) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WaywardGreg\/status\/1920129158597738970?\">May 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Mercifully, this lazy attempt at provocation will only be in Duffy Square until June 17. One wonders what&rsquo;s next. An obese Native American playing &ldquo;Pok&eacute;mon Scarlet&rdquo; on his couch, titled &ldquo;Catching Them All&rdquo; &mdash; and compared, by its artist, to the &ldquo;Venus de Milo&rdquo;? A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/supreme-court-gives-trump-dod-big-victory-regarding-ban-transgenders-military\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transgender<\/a> individual scrolling through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/tiktok-officially-limbo-trump-announces-likely-plan-response\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, titled &ldquo;Change from the East&rdquo;? Or someone who actually did something worthwhile?<\/p>\n<p>Hah, silly me. I knew that last one was a bit too hyperbolic.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a section of Times Square, New York City, called Duffy Square, two statues have stood since the mid-20th century. One statue honors Father Francis P. Duffy, a military chaplain who served in both the Spanish-American War and World War I; it was dedicated by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in May 1937. In 1959, a statue of George M. Cohan was added alongside Duffy&#8217;s statue. Cohan was a songwriter awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for creating &#8220;Over There,&#8221; an unofficial anthem for U.S. troops during World War II (he also wrote &#8220;Give My Regards to Broadway,&#8221; &#8220;The Yankee Doodle Boy,&#8221; and &#8220;You&#8217;re a Grand Old Flag&#8221;). Recently, these two figures have been joined by a new sculpture titled \u201cGrounded in the Stars\u201d by Thomas J. Price\u2014a 12-foot bronze piece that aims to challenge traditional notions of monuments and representation in Times Square.<\/p>\n<p>According to the official Times Square website, this sculpture depicts \u201ca fictionalized character constructed from images and observations,\u201d embodying familiar traits while subtly referencing Michelangelo\u2019s \u201cDavid.\u201d The work is intended to engage with visitors and disrupt conventional ideas about who deserves monumental recognition.<\/p>\n<p>Price&#8217;s installation invites interaction from the thousands who pass through Times Square daily and contrasts sharply with existing statues that predominantly represent white men\u2014Duffy and Cohan\u2014by featuring an anonymous plus-sized Black woman instead.<\/p>\n<p>Critics argue that this approach reflects elitist racism: suggesting that white men must achieve something significant for commemoration while implying mere existence suffices for others. This piece is part of Price\u2019s broader \u201cMan Series,\u201d which includes animations displayed on Times Square billboards aimed at highlighting marginalized bodies on a grand scale.<\/p>\n<p>The reception has been mixed; some praise its intent to celebrate diversity while others mock its artistic merit or question its significance compared to classical art forms like those created by Michelangelo.<\/p>\n<p>This provocative artwork will be on display until June 17, 2025, leaving many wondering what future installations might entail as public art continues evolving amidst changing societal values<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2432224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Times-Square-Statue.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[36445,41761,54826,54827,47423],"class_list":["post-2432223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-art-controversy","tag-body-positivity","tag-giant-statue","tag-plus-sized-woman","tag-times-square"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Times-Square-Statue.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2432223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2432223"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2432223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2432227,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2432223\/revisions\/2432227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2432224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2432223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2432223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2432223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}