RBG Statue To Be Unveiled in New York City

By Lori Perkins

On Friday, a bronze statue of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg will be unveiled at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn as Justice Ginsberg was a proud Brooklynite. The art work will be on view to the public indoors from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily in what local news website Gothamist reported as being "in a publicly accessible area at the Flatbush Ave entrance."

The statue was commissioned while Ginsberg was alive, and she was aware of it and gave it her consent. It was created by artists Gillie and Marc, who said, "We had the honor and privilege to create Justice Ginsburg’s dignified likeness in everlasting bronze as a part of Statues for Equality. With the two steps on its large base representing the Supreme Court and the climb she made to get there, the work is designed to provide the public with an opportunity to stand at her side, and gain inspiration from her journey fighting for equal rights."

Gothamist said the location of the statue was chosen by the artists because “you can see it from Flatbush as you enter Brooklyn from the Manhattan Bridge, which is a prominent way to celebrate Justice Ginsburg who was self-proclaimed 'born and bred in Brooklyn.'"

This statue of one of two that are to be erected in honor of the Brooklyn-born Justice. A statue of Justice Ginsberg will also be unveiled in Central Park, making this only the seventh real-life female statue to grace the centuries-old Manhattan greenspace. According to Gothamist, there were no statues representing real women in Central Park until last year's installment of the group statue featuring Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

A third statue may be in the works. Last year, NY Governor Cuomo announced a separate statue honoring RBG, which was once scheduled to be coming to Brooklyn Bridge Park.