All Photos By Gail

Even in the steady drizzle that fell over Central Park on the day I snapped these photos, Monira Al Qadiri’s new public art sculpture First Sun looked radiant. Installed at Doris C. Freedman Plaza at the park’s southeast entrance, the 17-foot-tall work commands the space with an otherworldly presence that feels both ancient and futuristic.

The aluminum figure stands tall on a patinated brass pedestal, its humanoid bust crowned with a gleaming scarab face. While the sculpture’s painted surface itself is not reflective, the aluminum scarab shifts color depending on the viewer’s angle — shimmering between pink, plum, and iridescent turquoise. In the rain, those subtle changes in tone took on a life of their own, as if the piece was absorbing the light and mood of the gray afternoon.

First Sun reimagines the ancient Egyptian deity Khepri, the god of the rising sun, who was traditionally depicted with the head of a beetle. Al Qadiri, a Kuwaiti artist known for her exploration of myth, identity, and material beauty, gives the figure an androgynous, elongated form that suggests both human and divine. The work feels at once grounded and transcendent — a contemporary guardian watching over the border between the city and nature.

Though inspired by ancient symbols of rebirth and transformation, *First Sun* speaks directly to the present moment. The scarab, once considered sacred, is often dismissed today as an insect to be crushed or ignored. Al Qadiri uses this disconnect to ask viewers to reconsider what humanity values and what it discards. By enlarging the beetle’s face to monumental scale, she restores its dignity and reminds us of the fragile balance between human civilization and the natural world.

Even under the gloomy skies, First Sun is luminous — the raindrops beading on its surface like constellations. The subdued light softened its metallic edges, giving the scarab’s face a mysterious glow that shifted as I walked around it. It was one of those moments when weather enhances rather than detracts, adding atmosphere and intimacy to the experience. If you’re in the city, take a walk by — in any weather, this celestial sentinel is worth a visit.

First Sun is on view at Doris C. Freedman Plaza (Fifth Avenue at 60th Street) through August 2, 2026, presented by Public Art Fund. After its New York run, the sculpture will travel to Toronto’s Lassonde Art Trail in Fall 2026.