The beloved Fearless Girl statue that stands in front of the iconic Charging Bull sculpture in Manhattan’s Financial District is moving to a new destination.
On Thursday, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and financial firm State Street Global Advisors—which commissioned Fearless Girl—announced the figure is relocating outside of the New York Stock Exchange, facing the building, the New York Daily News first reported.
De Blasio and State Street said the move will be “long-term,” and completed by the end of the year. Additionally, Charging Bull may get a new home as well, the mayor’s office said, but it has not decided on a place or time.
Since its installation in March 2017, Fearless Girl has been embraced by New Yorkers and tourists alike as a symbol of defiant feminism. It was initially supposed to remain installed for just a few days, but public affection prompted the city to extend the permit for a year. In a letter to De Blasio, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James appealed for the extension, writing, “Fearless Girl stands as a powerful beacon, showing women—young and old—that no dream is too big and no ceiling is too high.”
Fearless Girl was also the scorn of criticism, however, in particular by the artist of the Charging Bull sculpture she faced. The sculptor, Arturo Di Modica, said Fearless Girl undermined the “positive message of the bull,” which he said is “a better America and a better world.”
Nevertheless, many are excited for Fearless Girl‘s new adventure.
“We eagerly await the arrival of Fearless Girl to her fitting new home,” said Thomas Farley, president of the New York Stock Exchange. “[It’s] a striking symbol of our ongoing journey toward greater equality.”