Chad Robertson - stock.adobe.com
CV NEWS FEED // A Texan pro-life group is calling for the University of Houston to cancel its plans to display a “satanic” statue that honors feminism, abortion, and the late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
According to Texas Right to Life, the university plans to publicly display a statue called “Witness,” which the pro-life group described as “an 18-foot tall naked female figure with braids shaped like goat horns and arms like tentacles.” The bronze statue also wears a lace collar in imitation of Ginsburg’s recognizable style.
The university will display the statue from February 28 to October 31, calling it “a platform for artistic expression that encourages critical reflection and exploration of important issues,” according to a recent statement.
The statue was displayed in Madison Square Park last year, where it was also denounced as “a pagan idol to abortion.”
The artist, Shahzia Sikander, issued a statement in response to the criticism and said that the statue is intended to promote justice for women. She added that the statue is also a response to the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade and a tribute to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was notorious for consistently ruling in favor of pro-abortionists.
“The recent focus on reproductive rights in the United States after the Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion, comes to the forefront,” Sikander stated. “In the process, is the dismissal, too, of the indefatigable spirit of women who have been collectively fighting for their right to their own bodies over generations.”
“The luminous figure is a nod to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as seen in the detail adorning her collar,” Sikander continued. “With Ginsburg’s death and the reversal of Roe, there was a setback to women’s constitutional progress.”
Texas Right to Life pointed out that the statue also bears the word “havah,” which means “air,” “to breathe,” “atmosphere” and “Eve” in Arabic and Hebrew. In a 2023 interview with The Art Newspaper, Sikander had praised Eve as “the first law-breaker.”
“Disobedience to God certainly should not be esteemed by society, much less lauded with a statue,” Texas Right to Life stated. “On the contrary, art should reflect truth, goodness, and beauty: three timeless values that reveal the nature of God. Art cannot have beauty without truth. Art cannot have truth without goodness.”
According to Texas Right to Life, the university is “proud” to display the statue.
“With Havah…to breathe, air, life, Shahzia demonstrates how justice is conceptually and actively vibrant across cultures and genders. And yet, while the necessity of justice is universal, it is often blindly applied,” said Dr. Maria C. Gaztambide, the university’s executive director and chief curator of public art. “Shahzia brings to the fore the imbalances of gender and race through this exceptional work. We are proud to join forces with Madison Square Park in bringing it to fruition, while amplifying its reach beyond New York City.”
In response, Texas Right to Life has begun a petition “to keep the satanic abortion idol out of Texas.” The group also plans to peacefully protest at the university on February 28 as the exhibit opens.
“A statue honoring child sacrifice has no place in Texas,” the pro-life group stated.
