A small statue of a pug dog with its leg cocked as it urinates has found itself at the centre of a heated row about art and gender on New York’s Wall Street.
Installed by sculptor Alex Gardega, Pissing Pug – also known as Sketchy Dog – has been positioned beside the Fearless Girl statue that was unveiled on the eve of International Women’s Day earlier this year. That statue stands defiantly in front of the famous Charging Bull, which has been a Wall Street landmark since 1985.
Fearless Girl-creator Kristen Visbal, who was commissioned by State Street Global Advisors to produce an artwork to celebrate the anniversary of the bank’s Gender Diversity Index, has described her piece as a comment on equality.
Intended to remain on Wall Street until February 2018, Fearless Girl has found itself at the centre of controversy, with Charging Bull artist Arturo Di Modica accusing the piece of being an “advertising trick” and violating his legal rights.
Fearless Girl statue faces Wall Street's Charging Bull as winter storm Stella sweeps through the East Coast in March [Anthony Behar/SIPA USA/PA Images]
But now artist Alex Gardega has weighed in, standing a small urinating canine beside the left foot of the Latina girl staring down the Charging Bull.
Speaking to the New York Post’s about his guerrilla piece, Gardega attacked the Fearless Girl and what she stands for.
“This is corporate nonsense. It has nothing to do with feminism, and it is disrespect to the artist that made the bull. That bull had integrity.”
Gardega referred to Fearless Girl as “corporate nonsense,” accusing State Street Global Advisors of creating “advertising/promotion in the guise of art.”
He added: “I decided to build this dog and make it crappy to downgrade the statue, exactly how the girl is a downgrade on the bull.”
Pissing Pug was widely criticised online, with feminist groups – among others – mocking Gardega for missing the point of Fearless Girl.
Alex Gardena is every white guy who can't stand that he has to compete with women and PoC in America. What a loser! https://t.co/fwzAimevO4
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) May 30, 2017
Man perturbed by powerful women protests #FearlessGirl statue with peeing dog. We need to talk about male fragility.https://t.co/Sa5AbAHaqB
— Women's March (@womensmarch) May 30, 2017
THIS is DISGUSTING. Peeing on the little girl?! Misogynistic, pathetic bastard. Doesn't deserve the title Artist. #AlexGardenia #pissingpug https://t.co/JMdv0oCQXH
— Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) May 30, 2017
There are still no bad dogs, just bad sculptors https://t.co/3hjDvyJkXn
— WeRateDogs™ (@dog_rates) May 30, 2017
Three hours after erecting his statue, Gardega removed his piece, saying he didn’t want to leave it and see it take away by someone else.
