The Meaning of this Statue Relates to the Hindu Neighborhoods of Queens
Ancestor is an 18-foot statue at Fifth Avenue and 60th Street at the entrance of Central Park. To stand before her is worth the trip from Queens to Manhattan. She's there until August 2023.
"This colossal sculpture reflects Kher's cross-cultural identity and her appreciation for India's rich material culture. Every meaning-laden detail and distressed surface of the original hand-crafted object has been meticulously magnified to reflect the journey of this matriarch's creation. In contrast to urban statuary that commemorates historic individuals or events, Ancestor enters the public space as an allegorical representation paying homage to both the generations that came before and those to follow. Kher's temporary monument echoes the spirit of the Statue of Liberty. She is an empowered force fostering a diverse community—a hybrid figure whose symbolic references to multiculturalism and plurality embody the possibility of an interconnected space of belonging and care."
- Bharti Kher: Ancestor, Public Art Fund