Elevated on a high, stepped stone platform, as if a part of forgotten architecture, the hybrid figure in God of Some Things evokes a deity across the ages, perhaps both female and male, without context, religion, or home. The figure was carved from cork then cast in bronze. While the New York–based artist Huma Bhabha (American, born 1962 in Karachi, Pakistan) considers her work to be responsive to our present-day—particularly the wide-reaching influences of colonialism, politics, and war—the artist’s references to the past are encyclopedic, spanning civilizations, including ancient Greek and Indian cultures, contemporary art, and science fiction.

God of Some Things is part of the larger exhibition, Huma Bhabha: Other Forms of Life, on view at The Contemporary Austin – Jones Center on Congress Avenue (September 15, 2018 – January 13, 2019).

This exhibition is organized by Julia V. Hendrickson, Associate Curator. Text is also by Hendrickson.

Huma Bhabha Exhibition Support: Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation, Exhibition Fund Supporters, Marilyn and Larry Fields, Revelator, Salon 94