Statue of George Floyd

A bronze statue of George Floyd (1973–2020), an African-American man who was murdered by police in Minneapolis, was completed by Stanley Watts and unveiled in 2021. It is situated outside Newark, New Jersey's City Hall in Government Center.

Description

Weighing 700 pounds (320 kg), the statue is of Floyd sitting relaxed on a bench. Watts said of the statue that "The world needed a peaceful George".

History

The statue was commissioned by Leon Pickney. The piece was briefly displayed at Faison Firehouse Theater in Harlem, New York. 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.

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. The paint was removed shortly after by the Newark Public Works Department. The statue was vandalized a second time by a 37-year old actor in October 2021.

See also

• Black Lives Matter art
• List of public art in Newark, New Jersey
• Memorials to George Floyd

References