Times Square, the dazzling, chaotic crossroads of the world, has just become the unlikely battleground for a fierce debate about art, identity, and representation. British artist Thomas J Price unveiled his towering 12-foot bronze sculpture, "Grounded in the Stars," on April 29th, and let's just say it hasn't exactly been met with unanimous applause. This isn't your typical tourist attraction; the sculpture depicts a Black woman, not idealized or adorned, but in everyday attire, standing with her hands firmly on her hips, her gaze fixed on a distant point with a look of quiet contemplation.
According to Times Square Arts, the presenter of this thought-provoking piece, Price's artistic practice deliberately "confronts preconceived notions of identity and representation." And while there's a subtle nod to artistic grandeur – the pose subtly echoes Michelangelo's iconic David – the reception online has been anything but Renaissance-era reverence.
Instead, "Grounded in the Stars" has been greeted by a barrage of reactions, ranging from enthusiastic praise to outright hostility. While Times Square Arts's own Instagram post showcasing the artwork has been flooded with love-eyes, flexing muscles, and fire emojis – signaling appreciation for the representation – the comments section reveals a much more complex and divided response.
One commenter, bessieblount16, succinctly labeled the artwork as "Trash." Another, Ms_izzie_bee, offered a more impassioned critique, stating, "I h8yte your statue as it’s not an accurate representation of Black American Women. We come in all shapes and sizes and you have her plainly dressed looking angry. You’re British and know nothing of Black American Women. You should be ashamed of yourself." This comment highlights a key point of contention: the perception of the woman's demeanor and whether it perpetuates harmful stereotypes of Black women as perpetually angry.
The predictable political fault lines quickly emerged. One commenter, JayeF121212, jumped to a familiar conclusion, stating, "This is some leftist nonsense just to piss off white people. And based on the comments, blacks dont like it either." This sentiment reflects a common right-wing narrative that often frames discussions of race and representation in art as divisive and politically motivated.
Adding another layer of predictable commentary, aesthetic conservatives dusted off a familiar slogan to denigrate the artwork. A meme circulating online juxtaposed Price's sculpture with Antonín Pavel Wagner’s classicizing 19th-century "Hercules and Cerberus," where the mythical hero sports impossibly defined abs. The caption? A direct riff on a certain former White House occupant's rallying cry: "make statues great again." This comparison starkly highlights the contrasting ideals of classical, often white and male, idealized forms versus Price's unidealized portrayal of a contemporary Black woman.
Unsurprisingly, right-wing media also found a way to weave the artwork into their well-worn narrative. Fox News host Jesse Watters, during a segment, questioned the very existence of the statue, asking incredulously, "Who is this woman? What did she do to get a statue? A nice one, too!" In a move that epitomizes their common approach to such discussions, Watters answered his own question with a dismissive label: "Nothing. This isn’t a real person. It’s a DEI statue," reducing the artwork to a perceived symbol of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, often framed negatively within their media ecosystem.
Interestingly, artist Thomas J Price appears to be keenly aware of the swirling debate his work has ignited. On May 9th, he reposted an insightful slideshow from the popular real_toons Instagram account. The first slide cleverly encapsulates the polarized reactions: two Black women stand flanking the sculpture, one exclaiming "I love this!" while the other retorts, "Wow, I hate this." Subsequent slides delve deeper into the nuances of the conversation among Black viewers, with one asking, "What’s next, pajamas and a bonnet?" highlighting concerns about potential unflattering portrayals. Another comment offers a powerful counterpoint, asking, "We are so deep in European beauty standards that the idea of a plus-size Black woman being honored is somehow disrespectful?" This repost suggests Price is actively engaging with and perhaps even amplifying the diverse perspectives surrounding his work.
It's worth noting that Price's Times Square installation isn't a solitary artistic statement. It coincides with his major exhibition, "Resilience of Scale," at Hauser and Wirth’s SoHo showroom. This marks his first significant show with the prestigious gallery in New York, presenting five similarly monumental bronze figures depicting everyday Black individuals. Titles like "Time Unfolding" (2023), showing a woman absorbed in her phone, "As Sound Turns to Noise" (2023), depicting a woman in athletic wear, and "Within the Folds (Dialogue 1)" (2025), featuring a man in sneakers and a sweatsuit, reveal Price's ongoing exploration of contemporary Black identity in unidealized forms.
Price's powerful installation arrives in a New York City art scene that is currently celebrating Black artists and their diverse representations of Black life. Amy Sherald’s acclaimed Whitney Museum of American Art exhibition, "American Sublime," offers a contrasting yet complementary perspective, showcasing Black individuals as stylish, confident, and undeniably sublime in their everyday glory. Simultaneously, prominent Black artists are in the spotlight at other major institutions, with a Rashid Johnson retrospective gracing the Guggenheim Museum and a compelling rooftop installation by Jennie C. Jones commanding attention at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Price's use of Times Square as a platform for this commentary on representation also echoes the work of other Black artists who have previously utilized this highly visible public space. A few years prior, Kehinde Wiley, renowned for his vibrant paintings of young men of color in poses inspired by art historical portraiture, erected his own towering bronze sculpture, standing at an impressive 29 feet. Wiley's "Rumors of War" depicted a Black man in contemporary streetwear – Nike sneakers and a sweatshirt – astride a majestic horse, directly riffing on the numerous monuments immortalizing Confederate leaders in the American South. This historical context highlights a growing trend of Black artists using public art in prominent locations to challenge traditional narratives of power, representation, and monumentality.
Thomas J Price's "Grounded in the Stars" has undeniably achieved its goal of sparking dialogue. Whether viewers see a powerful and necessary representation of everyday Black womanhood, an unflattering stereotype, or simply a piece of "leftist nonsense," the sculpture has forced a confrontation with ingrained notions of who gets to be monumentalized and in what form. As the debate rages on in the heart of Times Square and across the digital landscape, one thing is clear: Price's work has ignited a crucial conversation about identity, representation, and the often-contentious intersection of art and public perception. The real masterpiece may not be the sculpture itself, but the complex and vital discussion it has provoked.
