Huma Bhabha's 'Distant Star' Lands at David Zwirner Paris

Summary

• Huma Bhabha debuts new sculptures and drawings in her first Paris solo show since 2009
• The exhibition runs alongside her presentation with Giacometti at London’s Barbican Centre

David Zwirner’s Paris gallery is presenting Distant Star, a new solo exhibition by Pakistani American artist Huma Bhabha. Known for her eerie, hybrid forms, Bhabha debuts six sculptures and a group of large-scale drawings that explore themes of time, decay and transformation.

At the front of the gallery stands the centerpiece sculpture, “Distant Star” (2025). Cast in iron, the rust-toned figure resembles a watchful guardian. Its surface will continue to oxidize over time, reinforcing Bhabha’s idea of time as a sculptural force.

Inside the gallery, five sculptures made from cork, clay, Styrofoam and found materials stand on black plinths like unearthed relics. Bhabha carves and layers these forms, adding wet clay to enhance their rough, scarred surfaces. Some figures feature skeletal heads made from animal skulls and wire, evoking ruins both ancient and futuristic.

Surrounding the sculptures are large drawings composed of ink and collage. Each features a hooded figure with cut-out eyes, referencing both medieval religious portraits and contemporary streetwear. These portraits, stripped of facial features, appear haunting yet human.

Distant Star is Bhabha’s first solo show in Paris since 2009. It runs alongside Encounters: Giacometti at London’s Barbican Centre, where her work is on view in dialogue with the sculptures of Alberto Giacometti.

David Zwirner Paris
108 Rue Vieille du Temple
75003 Paris
France