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When the Fearless Girl sculpture was unveiled across from the Charging Bull in the Financial District last month, it quickly became the most talked-about piece of public art in the entire city. The statue was created by artist Kristen Visbal, and portrays a young girl defiantly standing in front of the bulging bovine. It's since been widely received as a celebration of feminism, and a statement against the gender wage gap on Wall Street and beyond.
The statue was originally slated to be in the location until April 2, but after a rush of support and a slew of online petitions, it's looking like the Fearless Girl won't be moved until next year. On Monday morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in a statement that the sculpture will remain in place through February 2018 and that "she'll be asserting herself and affirming her strength even after her temporary permit expires."
While the Fearless Girl has become a New York icon over the last month (especially considering that it debuted just in time for International Women's Day), it has received a great deal of backlash. The statue was commissioned by State Street Global Advisors, which is the third-largest asset manager in the world. The project has been called "corporate feminism" by the Times, and garnered a lot of negative criticism on Twitter.
In any case, the statue's location is getting an extension, and history hints that it may be here to stay for quite some time. After all, the Charging Bull sculpture was initially meant to be temporary, and it's not looking like it's moving anytime soon.