Home >Magazine >Ironic Twist: ‘Fearless Girl’ Sculptor Is Now Fighting for Rights to Her Work

Ironic Twist: ‘Fearless Girl’ Sculptor Is Now Fighting for Rights to Her Work

Why the Fearless Girl sculptor may be heading to court.

In 2017, as International Women’s Day dawned, a bronze sculpture appeared in Lower Manhattan, across from the iconic charging bull figure that has dominated the Wall Street area for years. The newcomer was a four-foot-high statue of a defiant girl, staring down the horned creature.

It was commissioned and installed by State Street Global Advisors, a financial institution that displayed it in order to encourage other companies to increase the number of females employed at leadership levels and to promote equality.

Kristen Visbal, 56, the Delaware-based artist who created the instant sensation, Fearless Girl, gained recognition for this feminist work.

Read More: Forgotten Female Artists Get Rediscovered

Two Sides Face Off

The statue and artist are in the news again, but not for the resonant image of that proud young girl. Visbal is seeking to sell replicas of her work so the equity message travels the globe. State Street Global Advisors says this will diminish the power and purpose of the work they had her create. 

As the lawyers dig in, a GoFundMe has been created to help Visbal pay those fees. Those behind the fundraiser say State Street paid the permit fees for the work but Visbal owns the copyright, and that “they figure they can bully this female artist and bury her in so many legal fees that she has no choice but to forfeit her copyright.” They want to help her raise a cool $500,000 to push back with an amazing legal team leading the charge.

State Street, though, says it went to court because by making copies, Visbal is breaching her contract and diluting the value of the original artwork. They also assert that if the artist creates reproductions, anyone who ponies up about $6,000 for a copy can associate themselves with the equality message—without necessarily doing anything to promote it.  

Read More: An Art World Powerhouse Is Celebrating the Works of Female and Non-binary Talent

What does your gut tell you about this case—granted, none of us have seen the contract? Should the artist be able to do as she wishes with her creation, or can the company rein her in? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

By Janet Siroto

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles

Find your tribe

Connect and join a community of women over 45 who are dedicated to traveling and exploring the world.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This