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Statue of chubby black woman unveiled to mockery in NYC, some liken it to Tish James

May 8, 2025 | | Print Article

New Yorkers were left scratching their heads after a giant statue of an unknown woman was unveiled in Times Square.

The 12-foot-tall bronze sculpture on Broadway and 46th Street not only set off puzzled reactions, but many on social media joked that it looked a lot like New York Attorney General Letitia James.

“Times Square Arts is pleased to present Grounded in the Stars, a 12-foot-tall figurative bronze sculpture by artist Thomas J Price, whose multidisciplinary practice confronts preconceived notions of identity and representation,” the Times Square website explained. “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 Grounded in the Stars cuts a stark contrast to the pedestaled permanent monuments — both white, both men — which bookend Duffy Square, while embodying a quiet gravity and grandeur.”

“A fictionalized character constructed from images, observations, and open calls spanning between Los Angeles and London, the young woman depicted in Grounded in the Stars carries familiar qualities, from her stance and countenance to her everyday clothing,” the website notes.

Fox News host Jesse Watters blasted the premise behind the fictional woman on display through June 17 on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” mocking the idea that the statue is a “subtle nod” to Michelangelo’s classic image of David.

“When I heard about the statue, I was open-minded,” Watters told viewers. “Who is this woman? What did she do to get a statue? A nice one, too. Nothing. This isn’t a real person. It’s a DEI statue.”

“This is what they want us to aspire to be? If you work hard, you can be overweight and anonymous?” Watters questioned, slamming the celebration of “mediocrity instead of triumph.”

Evidently, there are similar tributes in other locations.

Still, X users could not get past the comparisons to New York’s attorney general.

Frieda Powers
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