Shahzia Sikander has been commissioned to create a major new body of work on the theme of justice for a multimedia exhibition in Madison Square Park and the nearby Courthouse of the Appellate Division, First Department of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. The project is a culmination of Sikander’s exploration of female representation in monuments and marks her first major, site-specific outdoor exhibition in sculptural form.
Havah… to breathe, air, life will feature two new large-scale sculptures: one within the park that can be transformed with Snap AR technology, and another on the Courthouse rooftop – the first female figure to adorn one of its ten plinths. A video animation on view in the park will visually intertwine the distinct elements.
Through her work, the artist addresses systems of justice and injustice by situating women in positions of authority. “With Havah…to breathe, air, life, Shahzia demonstrates how justice is conceptually and actively vibrant across cultures and genders,” said Dr. Maria C. Gaztambide, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Public Art UHS.
Co-commissioned by Madison Square Park Conservancy and Public Art of the University of Houston System (Public Art UHS), the exhibition will be on view in New York until June 2023, before travelling to Houston.
