Mayor Bill de Blasio: Well, everybody, this – this is a moment to celebrate, because this is how we come back. We learned in the height of the biggest crisis we had in our history, fighting COVID. We learned, once again, what arts and culture means to this city. And I think it's fair to say, arts and culture is important all around the world, but this is, ultimately, the great American, the great global city of arts and culture. We value here our artists in a way that I think is special in all the world, because it's who we are. This is a city that has produced so many great artists. This a city that has embraced so many great artists, that has given artists the opportunity to shine. And so often, this is a city that's ahead of the curve. And in that identity as a city of arts, a city of culture, a city that believes in the transcendent capacity of arts and culture, we found something even more during the pandemic. We needed the hope. We needed to cling to the hope. And you could feel it in the worst times. We sought out, wherever we could, the culture that gave us hope. And then, things got a little better. It started to come out more. It started to come out more. We started to feel it more and we started to gain momentum and energy. And today is a day where we really recognize the way we're moving forward.
Now, I want to thank everyone. Warrie Price, thank you so much for your work and everyone at the Battery Conservancy; our Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff, everyone at Parks Department. For all of them, this was something really special. This was something to embrace, to bring a great work of art here at the exact time of our recovery. I want to thank Council Member Margaret Chin, who has always been there. When we had an opportunity to do something different and meaningful for the community, she's always there. I want to thank my friend Morris [inaudible] who came forward and said, here's a chance to do something great for New York City.
Hebru Brantley has created a work that, in my view – everyone has their own personal interpretation – in my view, helps us move forward. In my view, helps us think now beyond crisis, and beyond pain, and beyond conflict to where we need to go. To see a superhero of color, to see an image that says to so many people in New York City and in this country, this is a future for all of us – that moves me. And we know – and I don't think I have to tell anyone here – we know that the status quo for too long only represented some of us. And we know still it's too easy to find imagery that does not see the goodness in some of us. But when artists help us move forward, help us look into a world where we address some of our imperfections, we find each other in a different way. That’s a service beyond what even us in public service can imagine, that changes hearts, changes minds.
This city has always, always, always embraced people's saw over the horizon. Basquiat, and Keith Haring, and Andy Warhol, and so many others who, in their moment, a lot of times weren't understood or felt. But then, more and more people realize they were telling us something we needed to see, we needed to feel, we needed to understand. So, today, I'm going to have the great honor of bringing forward the artist himself. And he is doing something great for this city. He's doing something great for this city. He is a person who has been acknowledged and exhibited all over the world, in Chicago, in London, in Tokyo, in Hong Kong, but he wanted to do this for us. And we in this pandemic have had to oftentimes help our whole nation see a way back. This is another part of how we see our way back and then to a better place. Hebru Brantley, thank you for your commitment. Thank you for doing something for all of us. And I don't need to tell you, but I'm going to, so many people are going to come here and be moved and inspired. This is people's art. This is the place for the people. God bless you. Thank you. Welcome, we'd love to hear from you.
