Huma Bhabha: We Come In Peace

"We Come In Peace" is an exhibition currently being displayed at the MET, specifically commissioned to be located on the Roof Garden. It was designed by Huma Bhabha, a graduate of RISD. The title is a reference to "The Day the Earth Stood Still"- however, this exhibit is not just meant to give off sci-fi vibes. It is a statement about many different issues, such as colonialism, invasion, war, and imperialism. There are two statues- one being a strange, primate-looking creature, the other a human being kneeled down and covered in a black cloth. The human is surrendering itself to the beast, bowing down to show submission while the other statue looms over it.

I was instantly drawn to this exhibit because of the unsettling and grotesque statues. They immediately caught my attention, as I am very interested in more scary and unnerving artwork. However, as I researched this piece, I found many more interesting layers other than just the scary imagery. The themes of invasion and imperialism really resonated within me, which was why I decided to do my blog on this exhibit.

I am fascinated by this exhibition. Not only are the statues beautifully and uniquely made, the themes behind them are powerful. There isn't really anything I dislike about this piece- its incredibly inspiring to me and is already giving me some ideas for new paintings. I'm very glad I learned about this exhibit.





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