The creator of Wall Street’s iconic “Charging Bull” sculpture is not happy with the “Fearless Girl” statue that was placed in the bull’s path earlier this month.
“That is not a symbol! That’s an advertising trick,”76-year-old Arturo Di Modica, a Sicilian immigrant, told MarketWatch in an interview. Di Modica is urging Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Hall to consider removing the bronze figurine once its temporary permit expires on April 2.
“Fearless Girl” was installed on March 8 to commemorate International Women’s Day and received a mostly positive reception as a symbol of female empowerment. But some criticized the statue’s corporate roots and called it a publicity stunt, as the piece was commissioned by Boston-based investment firm State Street Global Advisors.
“Women, girls, that’s great, but that’s not what that (my sculpture) is,” Di Modica said to MarketWatch. “I put it there for art. My bull is a symbol for America. My bull is a symbol of prosperity and for strength.”
Mayor de Blasio has yet to comment on New York City’s plans for the Fearless Girl statue.