Goddess of Democracy, Bronze sculpture in Portsmouth Square, San Francisco, United States
The Goddess of Democracy is a bronze sculpture on a granite base, depicting a female figure holding a torch. It stands in Portsmouth Square, a central public plaza in the Chinatown neighborhood that serves as a gathering point in the area.
The sculpture was installed in 1994 and commemorates the original Goddess of Democracy created during the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing in 1989. It stands as a tribute to a major event in Chinese history that resonated across the world.
The sculpture connects San Francisco's Chinese community with the global movement for democratic reforms in China, reflecting how these ideals remain present in the city today. It sits in a space where residents regularly gather and interact.
The plaza is easily accessible on foot and sits centrally in Chinatown, with restaurants and shops nearby. Visitors should arrive early in the day when the plaza is less crowded to fully appreciate the sculpture and its setting.
The artist Thomas Marsh from the San Francisco Academy of Art created the sculpture with help from Chinese students who chose to remain anonymous for their safety. This collaboration made the artwork itself a symbol of cooperation between different communities.
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