It seems that New York City has decided to brighten the overwhelming hustle and bustle of Times Square with a ginormous 12-foot statue. And no, it’s not another tribute to Broadway icons or an oversized dollar bill (though both could probably use the hype these days). Instead, it’s a statue of a plus-size African American woman. Because, apparently, there’s a dire shortage of representation for, uh, the majority in that particular demographic group. Somewhere out there, a committee must have thought: “You know what Times Square needs? Another reminder that representation happens. Let’s make it bigger and more imposing.”
According to the art aficionados behind this grand creation, it’s part of a clever series called “Grounded in the Stars,” aiming to tackle preconceived notions of identity and representation. Groundbreaking stuff, truly! Because when you think about revamping or enriching a city, massive statues are definitely high on the list. Who needs better public transport when you can have enormous art installations, right? Of course, if you’ve been in Times Square lately, your path to the nearest fast-food joint might now include a brief detour for an impromptu art critique session. Please contain your excitement.
Meanwhile, let’s take a walk down the memory lane of statue controversies. Remember that debacle where New York City decided that Thomas Jefferson needed to vacate his longstanding post at City Hall? We were just supposed to forget his contributions because of those pesky facts of history, and apparently move him to the New York Historical Society—for those who dared venture that far into history understanding. At this point, one might humbly suggest perhaps looking for diversity in another way; maybe give the statues rotating shifts? Jefferson today, random giant statues tomorrow. Who needs consistency, anyway?
But if there’s one thing we can always count on, it’s a good debate about whether or not to remove statues of historical figures. New York’s playing their part in this grand spectacle of political correctness, following Chicago’s performance. Both cities have mastered the art of prioritizing public statue replacements over other trivial matters like, you know, economic improvement or public safety. But sure, swap out those statues and the city will magically thrive. Because nothing screams progress quite like taking down marble figures.
Strap in, America! As long as someone can make an argument for it, we’re just going to swap out statues faster than you can say “cultural sensitivity.” It’s the gift that keeps on giving: a relentless cycle of statue-musical-chairs. Maybe next time, we can just build a statue featuring everyone together holding hands. That’ll likely confuse and shock no one, right?
