| Statue of George Floyd | |
|---|---|
The statue in 2021
| |
 | |
| Artist | Stanley Watts |
| Year | 2021 (2021) |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | George Floyd |
| Weight | 700 pounds (320 kg) |
| Location | Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°43′54″N 74°10′26″W / 40.7318°N 74.1740°W / 40.7318; -74.1740 |
Abronze statueofGeorge Floyd (1973–2020), an African-American man who was murdered by police in Minneapolis, was completed by Stanley Watts and unveiled in 2021.[1] It is situated outside Newark, New Jersey's City HallinGovernment Center.[2]
Weighing 700 pounds (320 kg),[2] the statue is of Floyd sitting relaxed on a bench. Watts said of the statue that "The world needed a peaceful George".[3]
The statue was commissioned by Leon Pickney.[4] The piece was briefly displayed at Faison Firehouse TheaterinHarlem, New York.[5] It was donated to the city of Newark and installed on Juneteenth, 2021, and is to remain at its present location for at least one year.[2]
Days after installation, on the night of June 24, the sculpture was vandalized. The face of the statue was painted black, with the name of a neo-Nazi group painted on its torso.[4] The paint was removed shortly after by the Newark Public Works Department.[6] The statue was vandalized a second time by a 37-year old actor in October 2021.[7]
Politics
United States
Visual arts
