The signifier is a bronze statue- an enraged bull prepared to charge in the middle of NYC's Wall Street, created by Arturo di Modica.
Originally, Modica intended the Charging Bull to signify the American, and New Yorker, "can-do spirit". Bulls are traditionally viewed as fighters. With the fierce rhetoric of their inherit strength mixed with the bull's clearly enraged, prepared to attack stance, the Charging Bull was supposed to symbolize the universal determination and hard work from any person of any culture, race, and origin. It was a symbol to overcome and to conquer.
Since it's original creation in 1989, wall-street has become different in the view of the public eye. With the increasing pushback to large corporations and an "unfair" global economy throughout the recent decades, "Occupy Wall Street" formed in 2011 as a people-powered grassroots movement. OSW self identifies as a fighter "against the corrosive power of major backs and multinational corporations of the democratic process."
As this movement gained momentum and support, an increasing number of citizens have become skeptical and disapproving of Wall Street happenings. With this, one might see the bull and it's furious, angry expression as threatening-- just as Wall Street is being viewed as increasingly threatening to an ordinary citizen.
Last year, Kristen Visbal created the "Fearless Girl" and placed it directly in front of the bull. Some think the defiant, young girl accentuates elements of OWS by visually depicting a rivalry between the innocent, ordinary citizens of American and the big wigs of Wall Street. This completely opposes the original meaning of the statue which intended to promote a bonding, universally shared determination to succeed. However, the creators of the statue explain that the Fearless Girl's purpose was not to create a "you vs. me" argument. Ron O'Hanley says that because of it timely installation on the eve before 2017 International Women's Day, it is "part of State Street’s campaign to pressure companies to add more women to their boards".
Originally, Modica intended the Charging Bull to signify the American, and New Yorker, "can-do spirit". Bulls are traditionally viewed as fighters. With the fierce rhetoric of their inherit strength mixed with the bull's clearly enraged, prepared to attack stance, the Charging Bull was supposed to symbolize the universal determination and hard work from any person of any culture, race, and origin. It was a symbol to overcome and to conquer.
Since it's original creation in 1989, wall-street has become different in the view of the public eye. With the increasing pushback to large corporations and an "unfair" global economy throughout the recent decades, "Occupy Wall Street" formed in 2011 as a people-powered grassroots movement. OSW self identifies as a fighter "against the corrosive power of major backs and multinational corporations of the democratic process."
As this movement gained momentum and support, an increasing number of citizens have become skeptical and disapproving of Wall Street happenings. With this, one might see the bull and it's furious, angry expression as threatening-- just as Wall Street is being viewed as increasingly threatening to an ordinary citizen.
Last year, Kristen Visbal created the "Fearless Girl" and placed it directly in front of the bull. Some think the defiant, young girl accentuates elements of OWS by visually depicting a rivalry between the innocent, ordinary citizens of American and the big wigs of Wall Street. This completely opposes the original meaning of the statue which intended to promote a bonding, universally shared determination to succeed. However, the creators of the statue explain that the Fearless Girl's purpose was not to create a "you vs. me" argument. Ron O'Hanley says that because of it timely installation on the eve before 2017 International Women's Day, it is "part of State Street’s campaign to pressure companies to add more women to their boards".
http://chargingbull.com/chargingbull.html
http://occupywallst.org
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/03/fearless-girl-wall-street/519393/
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