Why Black Women Deserve Better Representation in Public Art

A 12-Foot Reminder That Black America Deserves Better

In the heart of Times Square, a new art installation towers above the crowd. It’s a 12-foot bronze statue of a Black woman by British artist Thomas J. Price, titled Grounded in the Stars. While the creator claims the statue honors “everyday people” and challenges outdated monument traditions, many Black Americans are left asking: who exactly is this meant to serve?

Despite its high-profile location and noble intent, the statue feels disconnected from the community it’s supposedly uplifting. Rather than inspiring, it appears flat, uninspired, and emotionally vacant. Instead of evoking pride or strength, it leaves many viewers puzzled—or worse, indifferent.

A Statue That Lacks Energy and Spirit

The figure is dressed in basic clothes: a T-shirt and loose-fitting pants. Her face is blank, showing no emotion. With her hands on her hips and her stance locked in place, she seems frozen in exhaustion rather than poised in power. Nothing about her posture, outfit, or facial expression communicates resilience, hope, or dignity.

To put it simply, this statue does not radiate pride. It doesn’t feel bold or commanding. Rather, it looks like a person waiting in line at a bus stop, burdened and disconnected. If this is the monument meant to represent Black women in 2025, it says very little about our depth, complexity, or joy.

Representation Needs Depth, Not Just Presence

Representation matters. However, representation without thought and depth rings hollow. In this case, the statue presents a narrow and tired narrative: the overworked, emotionally drained Black woman who exists only to endure. Where’s the joy? Where’s the agency? Where’s the celebration?

Why not depict a Black woman smiling? Or laughing? Or reaching out with hope? These too are valid and powerful expressions of Black life. The reality is this: visibility without vitality isn’t real inclusion—it’s aesthetic tokenism.

Public Art Should Reflect the Public

Art in public spaces should speak to the community it claims to serve. Unfortunately, this piece feels like it was conceived in isolation, without community input or collaboration. Was anyone from Harlem, the Bronx, or Brooklyn consulted? Were local artists or cultural leaders involved in shaping this vision?

Apparently not. That absence shows.

When people feel excluded from the process, they feel alienated from the result. This statue could have sparked a powerful conversation. Instead, it sparked confusion and disappointment. It’s not just the image that lacks energy—it’s the approach behind it.

Missed Opportunities and Familiar Tropes

Thomas J. Price said he wanted to challenge the idea of who gets to be commemorated. That’s a powerful goal. Still, the execution of that goal falls short. Rather than breaking new ground, the statue plays into old habits. It portrays Black women as weary, faceless, and voiceless. It does not inspire. It does not celebrate.

What’s missing is intention. What’s missing is context. What’s missing is the full truth.

The Internet Responds—And Reveals a Divide

Reactions online were swift and deeply polarized. Predictably, MAGA-aligned users launched racist and cruel attacks. They mocked the figure’s appearance, its size, and even photoshopped political faces onto the statue in an attempt to humiliate.

Yet beyond the hate, there were also thoughtful critiques—many from Black Americans. People questioned the design. They asked why the statue felt so generic. They voiced a desire for monuments that actually reflect their lived experience, not just a theoretical idea of “representation.”

In short, they didn’t see themselves in the work. And that disconnect matters.

Final Thoughts: Black Women Deserve More

A statue this prominent should be more than a placeholder. It should reflect care, insight, and intention. Sadly, Grounded in the Stars offers none of that.

Representation must come with respect. It must show not just presence, but power. Black women deserve to be portrayed in ways that reflect their wholeness, their brilliance, and their humanity. Not just their burden.

We need public art that invites joy, that sparks reflection, that makes people feel seen—not simplified.

If we are going to put monuments in the heart of our cities, let’s make sure they mean something to the people who live there. Black women have carried enough. It’s time the world honored them with more than just bronze silence.