Fearless Girl statue gets new spot outside NY Stock Exchange

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A view of the Fearless Girl statue following the unveiling of the statue's new location in front of the New York Stock Exchange on 10 December 2018Image source, EPA
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The bronze statue was originally meant to be a temporary exhibit

The popular statue of a young girl who became famous for staring down Wall Street's bull has moved to a new home outside the New York Stock Exchange.

Fearless Girl appeared in the city's financial district on International Women's Day in March last year.

The 4ft (1.20m) bronze statue was originally commissioned to draw attention to the lack of women on the boards of financial institutions.

It was meant to be temporary but stayed because of its popularity.

Officials announced the new location for the statue - an area where the traffic of cars is restricted - in April as its popularity at the old spot raised safety concerns.

When State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) commissioned artist Kristen Visbal to create the work in 2017, it said the girl represented the future.

Ironically, SSGA itself became embroiled in its own gender pay row later that year.

Image source, Reuters
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The statue was originally part of a campaign to encourage companies to act against gender inequality

"She says in one image all that advocates can say in pages and pages of arguments and statistics," said Democrat congresswoman Carolyn Maloney who attended Monday's unveiling ceremony.

"We see [in her] our daughters, mothers, nieces," added Betty Liu, Vice-President of the New York Stock Exchange, which in May named its first female president, Stacey Cunningham.

"She represents potential, progress and hope, but also all the women who have fought for equality before us."

Image source, Reuters
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Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney kisses the statue at its unveiling ceremony on Monday

Image source, Reuters
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The work's popularity convinced the city authorities to keep it in place