The fusion of finance and art is not something unusual in today’s world. It’s also not unusual to see art used as a creative tool to attract attention and send a message. Today, at Bowling Green Park in New York’s Financial District, the fusion of finance, art and creativity reached a brilliant new level of magnificence and storytelling. Right in front of New York’s famous Charging Bull statue, appeared an unusual “for Wall Street” sculpture. The bronze statue, titled The Fearless Girl, is in the shape of a young girl in a defiant pose directly facing the iconic Charging Bull. The Charging Bull symbolizes aggressive financial freedom and prosperity, but what does The Fearless Girl stand for and what message does she want to send the world?

In celebration of tomorrow’s International Women’s Day, this campaign initiated by leading Asset Managers State Street Global Advisors, calls on 3,500 companies, who together represent more than $30 trillion in market capitalization, to increase the number of women on corporate boards.

The Fearless Girl was commissioned by State Street Global Advisors and created by American artist, Kristen Visbal. The aim of the stunt is to raise awareness of the power of women in leadership and to address the gender gap issue with the hope of gender equality for the next generation.

Ron O’Hanley, President and Chief Executive Officer of State Street Global Advisors, said “A key contributor to effective independent board leadership is diversity of thought, which requires directors with different skills, backgrounds and expertise. Today, we are calling on companies to take concrete steps to increase gender diversity on their boards and have issued clear guidance to help them begin to take action.”

Today, The Fearless Girl is a temporary installation in front of the Wall Street Bull. But, we all know that a temporary installation can become a permanent part of the city landscape, as did the Charging Bull, which was originally installed as guerrilla art in 1987 by artist Arturo di Modica.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/neloliviawaga/2017/03/07/international-womens-day-2017-wall-street-meets-the-fearless-girl/#613e89d735b1