Lewes artist’s ‘Fearless Girl’ sculpture appears in Paris for UN Day of the Girl
Matt MooreAfter her sculpture of a young girl made international headlines and landed opposite the Wall Street bull last March, Lewes-based artist Kristen Visbal's work appeared in Paris on Wednesday.
A replication of "Fearless Girl" was put on private display Wednesday during the United Nations observance of International Day of the Girl in Paris, according to a release from Visbal.
The Lewes artist also participated in a panel discussion at the Hotel de Ville before several girl ambassadors from around the world, as a part of a mentoring session for Day of the Girl.
Day of the Girl debuted in 2012 as a product of the Because I’m a Girl program launched by Plan International, a child rights and humanitarian organization active in more than 70 countries, according to the release.
The event works to emphasize a number of causes including gender inequality, the need for education, protection from discrimination and violence against women.
The Fearless Girl replica is the result of a preservation scan taken off the Wall Street work in late June. That digital data was used to create a precise miniature 3-D print that Visbal painted and molded for an easy transfer to Paris.
The original Fearless Girl, installed by investment firm State Street Global Advisors, made its first appearance on Wall Street on March 7, a day before International Women’s Day.
State Street later agreed to pay $5 million to settle federal allegations that it paid female executives less than their male counterparts, according to the Associated Press.
More:Firm behind Delaware artist's 'Fearless Girl' statue OKs equal pay settlement
At 250 pounds, the bronze sculpture stands 4 feet tall and depicts a young girl with arms akimbo, positioned opposite the renowned “Charging Bull” sculpture.
During an interview with the News Journal in April, Visbal acknowledged the dynamic of the two statues, explaining that “Charging Bull” has always represented a Wall Street community that is predominantly male.
"And we're saying, 'Hello, women are here, too,'” she said. “We're an integral part of this community. And, furthermore, we're the future of this community."
Born in Potomac, Maryland, Visbal studied art at Salisbury University, eventually apprenticing at Johnson Atelier art foundry in Mercerville, New Jersey.
Visbal said the foundry recommended her for the Fearless Girl project based on her previous work sculpting children.
The sculpture was quickly embraced by tourists and went viral online, getting feedback touting the sculpture as a symbol of female empowerment.
Visbal’s creation has also taken the form of a website that allows her to advocate for nonprofits that support the causes she says Fearless Girl represents.
More:Lewes filmmaker warns of threat from rising sea level in new documentary 'Tidewater'