First Sun is a majestic painted aluminum sculpture of a hybrid human-scarab figure. Monira Al Qadiri (b. 1983, Dakar, Senegal), reimagined the ancient Egyptian deity Khepri—god of the rising sun—as a contemporary monument. For the artist, the artwork underscores the modern divide between humans and the natural world and reminds us of ancient cultures in which animals were revered.
The work is inspired by the artist’s visit to the Tomb of Pharaoh Ramses I in Egypt, where she encountered a painting of the scarab-faced god. Al Qadiri’s version presents Khepri as an iridescent, monumental, androgynous figure. The sun has been personified in many cultures—sometimes as male, sometimes as female—and the sculpture’s title alludes to this intersection of gender and power.
First Sun was conceived for exhibition in both Central Park and Lassonde Art Trail in Toronto’s Biidaasige Park, where the work will travel next. Both are urban spaces designed to reconnect people with nature. For the artist, this gleaming sculpture suggests a future where humans and other animals live in greater balance, where even the most humble insects are revered for the essential role they play in sustaining all life on Earth—including our own.
Monira Al Qadiri: First Sun is curated by Public Art Fund Senior Curator Melanie Kress and Lassonde Art Trail Artistic Director and Chief Curator November Paynter.
About the Artist
Monira Al Qadiri is a Kuwaiti artist whose practice explores global histories, ecologies, and cultural narratives. Raised between cultures and educated in Japan, where she earned a Ph.D. in Intermedia Art from Tokyo University of the Arts, Al Qadiri primarily focuses on the worldwide impact of natural resource extraction. Through a combination of in-depth research and humor, in her sculpture, videos, and installations, she brings to the fore the effects of what she refers to as “petro-culture”—a society shaped by and reliant on oil consumption. Al Qadiri invites us to imagine petroleum in different ways, for example, through sculptures of the prehistoric fossils that eventually became oil itself, or its pearlescence that mimics the oyster pearl divers who worked on the Persian Gulf before the discovery of oil. Often characterized by seductive shapes and iridescent colors, Al Qadiri’s work blends autobiographical elements, literature, pop culture, and science fiction. Whether juxtaposing opulence and adversity, tradition and innovation, or the fragility of both natural and human ecosystems, her work encourages deep reflection on the pressing issues of our time. She is based in Berlin, Germany.
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Sobre la Exhibición
First Sun es una majestuosa escultura de aluminio pintado de una figura híbrida entre humano y escarabajo. Monira Al Qadiri (n. 1983, Dakar, Senegal) reimaginó a la antigua deidad egipcia Khepri, dios del sol naciente, como un monumento contemporáneo. Para la artista, la obra subraya la división moderna entre los humanos y el mundo natural y nos recuerda las culturas antiguas donde se veneraba a los animales.
La obra está inspirada en la visita de la artista a la tumba del faraón Ramsés I en Egipto, donde se encontró con una pintura del dios con rostro de escarabajo. La versión de Al Qadiri presenta a Khepri como una figura iridiscente, monumental y andrógina. El sol ha sido personificado en muchas culturas, a veces como masculino y a veces como femenino, y el título de la escultura alude a esta intersección de género y poder.
First Sun fue concebida para exhibirse tanto en Central Park como en el Lassonde Art Trail del Parque Biidaasige de Toronto, a donde la obra viajará próximamente. Ambos son espacios urbanos diseñados para reconectar a las personas con la naturaleza. Para la artista, esta resplandeciente escultura sugiere un futuro donde los humanos y otros animales convivan en mayor equilibrio, donde incluso los insectos más humildes sean venerados por el papel esencial que desempeñan para el sustento de la vida en la Tierra, incluida la nuestra.
Monira Al Qadiri, First Sun, es de la curaduría Melanie Kress, curadora jefe de Public Art Fund, y la directora artística y curadora jefe de Lassonde Art Trail, November Paynter.
Acerca del artista
Monira Al Qadiri es una artista kuwaití cuya práctica explora historias globales, ecologías y narrativas culturales. Criada entre culturas y educada en Japón, donde obtuvo un doctorado en Arte Intermedia de la Universidad de las Artes de Tokio, la obra de Al Qadiri se centra principalmente en el impacto mundial de la extracción de recursos naturales. Mediante una combinación de investigación profunda y humor, en sus esculturas, videos e instalaciones resalta los efectos de lo que ella llama “petrocultura”: una sociedad moldeada por el consumo de petróleo y dependiente de él. Al Qadiri nos invita a imaginar el petróleo de diferentes maneras, por ejemplo, a través de esculturas de fósiles prehistóricos que eventualmente se convirtieron en petróleo, o su perlescencia que imita a los buscadores de perlas de ostras que trabajaron en el Golfo Pérsico antes del descubrimiento del petróleo. Caracterizada con frecuencia por formas seductoras y colores iridiscentes, la obra de Al Qadiri combina elementos autobiográficos, literatura, cultura pop y ciencia ficción. Ya sea yuxtaponiendo opulencia y adversidad, tradición e innovación, o la fragilidad de los ecosistemas naturales y humanos, su obra invita a una profunda reflexión sobre los problemas más acuciantes de nuestro tiempo. A Qadiri Reside en Berlín, Alemania.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is the presenting sponsor of Monira Al Qadiri: First Sun
Leadership support is provided by the Abrams Foundation, the Fuhrman Family Foundation, Elizabeth Fearon Pepperman & Richard C. Pepperman II, and Jennifer Harris; with champion support from Ellen & Andrew Celli and Andrea Krantz & Harvey M. Sawikin; and major support from Charles B. Short & Chet Krayewski.
Monira Al Qadiri: First Sun is made possible through a partnership with the Lassonde Art Trail Foundation, Toronto and is supported by the Pierre Lassonde Family Foundation, along with generous support from Nadir and Shabin Mohamed.
Special thanks to engineering partner TYLin.
Public Art Fund is supported by the generosity of individuals, corporations, and private foundations including lead support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, along with major support from the Abrams Foundation, the Charina Endowment Fund, The Cowles Charitable Trust, the Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the Arts, The Fuhrman Family Foundation, Agnes Gund, The Marc Haas Foundation, Hartfield Foundation, KHR McNeely Family Foundation | Kevin, Rosemary, and Hannah Rose McNeely, the Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, Red Crane Foundation, the Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation, and The Silverweed Foundation.
Public Art Fund exhibitions and programs are also supported in part with public funds from government agencies, including the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
