The statues, which stand around 6.5 feet (two meters) tall, are the work of husband-and-wife sculpting duo Gillie and Marc Schattner, who want women to be fairly represented in public art. They say on their website that less than three percent of New York's statues are of women. The figure is three percent in London and four percent in Sydney, they add.
"It's gorgeous!" said 46-year-old Leslie Daniels as she stopped to look at the installation on Manhattan's Sixth Avenue near Rockefeller Center. "We women are great contributors to society and they just overlook us. It is uplifting to see this," she added. The statues, unveiled on Monday to mark Women's Equality Day, feature inspirational women from different walks of life. They are mostly American and were nominated online.
Astronaut Tracy Dyson, the singer Pink, actress Nicole Kidman, and transgender author and activist Janet Mock are among those striking a powerful pose on a flower of their choosing. Writer Cheryl Strayed, women's empowerment campaigner Tererai Trent and English conservationist Jane Goodall are also featured. "I think it's great," said 42-year-old Corinne Gudovic from Chicago as she eyed the statue of Goodall.