Image via JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Male artist pissed off at “corporate nonsense” statue of Fearless Girl creates his own

What came first, corporate nonsense or the fragile male ego?

One male artist is so bothered by a statue of a little girl challenging the Charging Bull of Wall Street, that he created his own piece of art. Well, sort of.

Alex Gardega created a statue of a small dog he calls “The Pissing Pug,” and placed it right next to The Fearless Girl — taking aim at her leg. The statue is crap, but apparently he meant for it to be. He told the New York Post he intentionally made the pug poorly, to insult the little girl even more. “I decided to build this dog and make it crappy to downgrade the statue, exactly how the girl is a downgrade on the bull,” Gardega tells the NY Post. “It has nothing to do with feminism, and it is disrespect to the artist that made the bull,” he said. “That bull had integrity.”

A site dedicated The Charging Bull explains that the original installation was made to represent the spirit of America, “where people from all other[sic] the world could come regardless of their origin or circumstances, and through determination and hard work overcome every obstacle to become successful. It’s this symbol of virility and courage that Arturo saw as the perfect antidote to the Wall Street crash of 1986.” Okay, and the symbol of a little girl challenging it became the symbol of women’s continued fight to be perceived as equal in the corporate world — and just about anyone who takes on Wall Street. On the base of the four foot statue, a plaque reads: “Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.”

Many women were quick to point out that although the statue was commissioned by an advertising firm, it took on a life of its own and women really do not need him mansplaining why the little icon is not feminist — or “disrespectful” to the original, male artist. Kristin Visbal, the artist who created the girl, said she views it as a piece “that every woman can and should relate to. The bull is symbolic of every issue coming down the pike, that they can stand firm and hold their ground and deal with it.”

So basically, not a place for a male artist and his crappy pug to make a stand.

Shout out to the male artist who made the peeing dog statue for demonstrating why there's a need for the Fearless Girl. — The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) May 30, 2017

The intimidated male response to the Fearless Girl statue was to piss on it. How…original. pic.twitter.com/xTZStLlHoD — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) May 30, 2017

The Fearless Girl was placed opposite The Charging Bull in March on the eve of International Women’s Day. It was on a temporary permit, but Mayor Bill de Blasio extended the permit until February 2018, at which time surely more male tears will flow and try to wash it away.