Staff Reports
A new 12-foot bronze statue of an anonymous Black woman in Times Square has ignited a firestorm of debate, raising critical questions about the direction of public art and the values it reflects. Titled Grounded in the Stars and created by British artist Thomas J. Price, the statue depicts a casually dressed woman standing with her hands on her hips, gazing out over the crowds. While the artist and organizers tout the work as a celebration of “everyday humanity” and “greater cultural diversity,” many see the installation as yet another example of progressive politics overshadowing genuine achievement and traditional standards.
The controversy is not just about aesthetics—it’s about what, and who, our society chooses to elevate. In a city that recently removed statues of historical American figures, the decision to replace them with a monument to an unnamed, unremarkable figure strikes many as a deliberate snub to the nation’s heritage. Critics have pointed out that the statue’s presence is less about honoring Black women’s real accomplishments and more about virtue signaling to appease the latest trends in identity politics. Instead of celebrating notable Black women who have made significant contributions to American life, the statue offers an abstract, generic representation that feels more like a box-checking exercise than a meaningful tribute.
The reaction on social media and in conservative media circles has been swift and pointed. Commentators have questioned the wisdom of glorifying an anonymous figure while sidelining the historical figures who built the nation. Fox News host Jesse Watters, for example, asked whether this was truly the kind of role model Americans should aspire to, or simply another “D.E.I. statue” with no real story or achievement behind it. Many have noted the irony: in the name of inclusion, the city has chosen a faceless, everyday figure rather than celebrating the extraordinary, reducing the idea of representation to mere physical presence rather than substance or merit.
This episode is emblematic of a broader trend in public art and culture, where the drive to “challenge norms” and “amplify marginalized bodies” often comes at the expense of excellence, inspiration, and historical continuity. Rather than uniting people around shared values or common history, these gestures frequently sow division and confusion. The statue’s defenders argue that it represents the “real woman,” but critics counter that it does little to inspire or uplift, instead reinforcing a narrative of mediocrity and victimhood.
Ultimately, the uproar over Grounded in the Stars is about more than just one statue. It’s a microcosm of the ongoing struggle over who gets to define American identity and what kind of legacy we want to leave for future generations. Many Americans are calling for a return to monuments that honor true achievement, character, and the foundational stories that unite us—not fleeting political trends or abstract gestures. If public art is to inspire, it must do more than merely reflect the latest ideological fashions; it should remind us of our highest ideals and the real heroes who embody them.
