by Rafaela Prifti
The Girl Puzzle monument was unveiled to coincide with International Human Rights Day on December 10. The monument honors an iconic woman whose writing sparked a reform. Her name is Nellie Bly. Girl Puzzle is the title of Bly’s first published work in 1885. She is a groundbreaking journalist whose career grew from a columnist at a local Pittsburgh newspaper to later writing headlines in Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World. Governor Hochul announced the opening at a Friday ceremony indicating that it “will provide a poignant educational and meaningful destination for visitors to reflect on our shared history and remember that women’s rights are human rights.” NY Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney said, “Nellie Bly was a trailblazing investigative journalist who told individuals’ stories that may not have been told otherwise. Nellie wrote about the marginalized, oppressed, and disadvantaged and often risked her life or went undercover to do so.”
The monument was designed by Amanda Matthews of Prometheus Art “to illuminate women who have endured hardship but are stronger for it.” The five bronze faces, one of which depicts Bly, are artistic representations of a broad diversity of our society. Engraved behind each face are words written by Bly, conveying the spirit and courage of women. At the center of the sculptures, there are three different sized steel globes to honor the legacy of a woman pioneer. Visitors can experience the monument and fully interact with the half-ton sculptures sitting a few feet away from the lighthouse at the Roosevelt Island, Manhattan.
Sculptor and Designer of Girl Puzzle monument, Amanda Matthews, calledNellie Bly a champion for women and girls with her bold and unvarnished response to bigotry. “Bly was a transformative figure in modern history. Highly regarded as America’s first investigative journalist, she dedicated her life to understanding the plight of those who exist in the margins and dismantling systems of oppression. She is best known as a champion for women and girls and opposed the notion of women as subordinate by powerfully rewriting this narrative. The Girl Puzzle monument honors the title of her first published work in 1885, a bold and unvarnished response to bigotry, and her life-changing experiences in the Blackwell Island Women’s Asylum (now Roosevelt Island) that shaped her life of dedication and empathy for others.”
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation commissioned the moment that appropriately sits at the location of one of her groundbreaking pieces of investigative journalism. NY Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright remarked that what sat Bly apart was her unflinching spirit. “Nellie Bly is not only a monumental Roosevelt Island Historical figure, she was one of the foremost courageous female journalists in the US. It was her boldness, curiosity, and independent spirit that set her apart to uncover injustices in our society.” Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer said that the unique monument befits Nellie Bly because she “dedicated her life to telling the truth and exposing wrongdoing and her writing sparked reform.” NY Senator Jose Serrano spoke of art as “a significant catalyst for social change.” On that note, it’s appropriate to quote Bly’s words engraved on one of the five sculptures:
WHILE I LIVE I HOPE.
