Huma Bhabha at M – Museum Leuven

Artist: Huma Bhabha

Exhibition title: Livin’ Things

Curated by: Eva Wittocx

Venue: M – Museum Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Date: June 10 – October 29, 2023

Photography: all images courtesy of the artist and M – Museum Leuven

M Leuven presents the first solo museum exhibition in Belgium by Pakistani-American artist Huma Bhabha. Huma Bhabha is known for her distinct visual language, which focuses on the human figure in all its expressive potential. She draws inspiration from ancient sculpture, modernism and contemporary popular imagery. Bhabha’s monumental sculptures in striking material combinations hover between the recognisable, human or animal and the otherworldly. In powerful and sometimes unsettling works, she explores themes such as colonialism, war, displacement and memories of place.

Bhabha draws on a wide range of references such as Ancient Greek, early African, Egyptian and Indian sculpture, modernism and expressionism. But her work is equally steeped in contemporary inspirations such as science fiction and horror films, current events and memories of her birthplace Karachi. Bhabha questions man’s position in the world. She interweaves her works with allusions to environmental collapse, disasters of war, mass extinction and subsequent regeneration and transformation.

Huma Bhabha’s practice consists of sculpture, photography and drawings with ink, pastel and collage. Bhabha uses everyday materials such as Styrofoam, found wood, paint, clay and cork in her sculptures. She also makes works in bronze.

M shows a selection from her oeuvre, including her well-known androgynous totem figures and monumental drawings. The works are presented in a custom-made installation by M. Huma Bhabha will inaugurate the opening of the exhibition on Friday 9 June 2023 with an artist talk, where the artist will give a unique insight into her work.

The exhibition is a collaboration with MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain, where Huma Bhabha’s work will be on display from November 2023. MO.CO is preparing a publication on the occasion of the exhibition.

Installation view ‘Huma Bhabha. LIVIN’ THINGS’, 2023, M Leuven, photo: Useful Art Services for M Leuven

Huma Bhabha, Untitled, 2021, private collection. Courtesy of the artist & Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, photo: HV-studio

Huma Bhabha, Untitled, 2022, private collection. Courtesy of the artist & Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, photo: HV-studio

Huma Bhabha, The Ambitious One, 2021 (detail), private collection. Courtesy of the artist & Xavier Hufkens, Brussels

Huma Bhabha, Untitled, 2021, private collection. Courtesy of the artist & Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, photo: HV-studio

Huma Bhabha, Castle of the Daughter, 2016. Courtesy of Private Collection, photo: Mark Blower

Huma Bhabha, I was Invited, 2020, T&C Collection. Courtesy of the artist & David Kordansky Gallery, photo: Adam Reich

Huma Bhabha, The Ancient and Arcane, 2021, Collection Michel Urbain. Courtesy of the artist & David Zwirner, photo: Dan Bradica