Mid-April 2025, artist Thomas J Price unveiled his latest artwork titled “Grounded in the Stars” . Grounded in the Stars depicts a Black woman made of bronze, as the woman wears her natural hair in plaits. The piece of work stands 12 feet high, and the woman is full figured proudly wearing her curves. The woman is also wearing simply a t-shirt and jeans with her hands on the backside of her hips. Standing tall in the middle of Times Square. She is put on display until mid-June of 2025.

The statue is Thomas J. Price does a wonderful job of visualizing the features of black women. He is a Britain-based artist, and has done numerous afrocentric artworks. He conducted casting calls spanning from Los Angeles to London for black women. His own take on those white statues of old men, you know, the ones . A spotlight on the most unprotected woman, the black woman.

There are tons and tons of statues around. This one feels special. I will always appreciate when someone gives us some shine in the right way. In the hands of someone who values us.

Of Course, there’s online discourse about the artwork. I have been seeing lots of comments about her appearance. Aside from the general misogynoir. The main comments coming from us were that of the clothes she was wearing. “Why can’t a girlfriend wear a dress,” or “ why the braids”? Yes, lots of people expected the statute to be 30-inch buss down wig on her.

The thing with appearance stims so deeply rooted. Why can’t black women just be average? As a black woman, in my average everyday life, I stopped wearing makeup daily, I don’t put crazy amounts of gel in my natural hair(yes, it gets frizzy), and I wear shirts and jeans, and glasses. I am average. Yet I get looks about my appearance. I can’t stand it. My non black counterparts never get the comments about stepping up their looks.

My fellow black women, it is okay to be average. I promise you our stress levels will finally go down!

What’s the deal with New York’s latest statue?

Explaining the online discourse within the black community of the Thomas J Price scuplture of a black woman in Times Square

Written by Arianna Freels

April 30th, 2025