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Gigantic beetle sculpture in Central Park: A work by the Berlin artist!
The Berlin artist Monira Al Qadiri presents her sculpture "First Sun" in Central Park, New York, until August 2026.
Gigantic beetle sculpture in Central Park: A work by the Berlin artist!
In Manhattan, the global metropolis of New York, an impressive sculpture by the Berlin artist Monira Al Qadiri has been shining in Central Park since September 2025. This over five meter high installation entitled“First Sun”stands as a haunting monument and addresses the complex relationship between humans and nature. Central to the sculpture is a bust of a woman adorned with a beetle, a scarab. This artistic connection evokes associations with Egyptian deities and highlights man's alienation from his natural environment. In the ancient cultures of Egypt, the scarab was often associated with the sun god Re and symbolized luck and resurrection, as rbb24 describes in detail.
Monira Al Qadiri, who was born in Senegal in 1983 and grew up in Kuwait, now lives in Berlin. Her impressive artistic career includes exhibitions at major institutions such as the Venice Biennale and the Bozar in Brussels. Al Qadiri took the inspiration for designing the sculpture from a visit to Egypt, specifically from the depictions of the deity Chepre from the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses I. These cultural points of reference make the work of art a fascinating dialogue between different eras and cultures.
Art in the context of the urban environment
The sculpture“First Sun”is on view in Central Park until August 2026 and will then be exhibited in Biidaasige Park in Toronto, Canada. By displaying such works, public space is enriched and stimulates reflection on historical and cultural topics. Sculptures like these not only shape the cityscape, but also contribute to the identity of a place and can function as symbols of community and remembrance. According to kunstundkuenstlerinnen, they enable social interactions and promote the aesthetic awareness of the viewer.
Al Qadiri's work calls for recognizing the divine in the overlooked and raises public awareness of important issues of alienation. Your aluminum sculpture is not only an aesthetic pleasure, but also an impetus for examining your own relationship with nature.
The Berlin artist has not only made an impressive contribution to the current art scene, but has also initiated a significant cultural exchange between Berlin and New York. NDR emphasizes that her works can be seen in the Berlinische Galerie in Kreuzberg until August 2024, which underlines the international reach of her work.