NOW ON VIEW: Monira Al Qadiri’s "First Sun" is now on view at Doris C. Freedman Plaza in Central Park through August 2, 2026. This large-scale sculpture is Al Qadiri's first public artwork and first institutional presentation in New York City. 🪲 The majestic painted aluminum sculpture of a hybrid human-scarab figure reimagines the ancient Egyptian deity Khepri—god of the rising sun—as a contemporary monument. At a towering 17 feet tall atop its base and resplendent in purple and green hues, the sculpture reflects Al Qadiri’s interest in how humanity explores the unknown through science, religion, mythology, and art. Al Qadiri was inspired by a painting inside the Tomb of Ramses I in Luxor, Egypt, which depicted a figure with a scarab beetle face. This stunning image led the artist to explore the blending of human and insect forms as a symbol of the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. Monira Al Qadiri's work explores themes of history, petro-cultures, scie...