Charging Bull
by Arturo Di Modica, 1989
Details
- Year
- 1989
- Medium
- Bronze
- Size
- 340 cm (11 ft) tall, 4,900 kg (10,800 lb)
Arturo Di Modica installed Charging Bull as guerrilla art on December 15, 1989, dropping it in front of the New York Stock Exchange without permission. Police impounded it. Public outcry got it reinstalled two blocks south on Broadway, at Bowling Green in Manhattan's Financial District.
The 3.4-meter bronze bull weighs nearly 5 tonnes. Di Modica spent about $350,000 of his own money creating it in his SoHo studio over two years. He meant it as a symbol of American financial optimism after the 1987 stock market crash. Tourists rub its horns and nose for good luck, polishing those areas to a bright gold sheen.
The sculpture became one of New York's most photographed landmarks and an icon of Wall Street culture. Di Modica fought for decades to retain artistic rights over the work. He died in 2021.
About Charging Bull
It's at Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan, near the southern tip of Broadway. It's free to visit, outdoors, and accessible 24 hours. The closest subway station is Bowling Green (4/5 trains). Expect crowds: it's one of the most photographed spots in New York.
Sicilian-born American sculptor Arturo Di Modica created it in 1989. He self-funded the entire project at a cost of about $350,000 and installed it illegally outside the NYSE as a Christmas gift to New York.
The bronze sculpture stands 3.4 meters (11 feet) tall, is 4.9 meters (16 feet) long, and weighs about 3,200 kg (7,100 pounds). Di Modica cast it in his SoHo studio over two years. The polished horns and nose are rubbed daily by tourists for good luck.
Di Modica created it as a symbol of financial optimism and strength after the 1987 stock market crash. A 'bull market' refers to rising stock prices. The sculpture captures aggressive forward momentum. It's become a global icon of Wall Street and capitalism.
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