Is this piece more powerful without its head?

photo: Public Art University of Houston System cover. Image courtesy of University of Houston.

September 22, 2024

Though art may be timeless, it doesn't usually remain unchanged over time. Today, we recognize the Egyptian Sphinx without its nose or the botched restoration of 'Beast Jesus,' each showing history’s mark on artworks.


A sculpture, titled Witness, by artist Shahzia Sikander, also underwent a significant transformation, evolving from destruction into something new. The piece displayed at the University of Houston designed to honour women's rights was targeted in an act of vandalism—its head decapitated and thought to be intentional.


The artwork, a golden female figure with arms and legs that twist into root-like forms, is a powerful symbol of female empowerment and resilience. The figure's ram horns, resembling a head of hair, add to its strength. However, some local groups have misinterpreted the sculpture, accusing it of being Satanic.


What's most intriguing is Sikander's deliberate choice not to repair the statue. She states, "I want to 'expose,' leave it damaged. Make a new piece, and many more." 

photo: Hyperallergic cover. Image courtesy of Abdurrahman Danquah.

This request was an artistic expression of its own and symbolic of the initial meaning of the statue. Whether the damage was intentional or not, it reinforces the representative idea of the destruction and attacks on women's rights.

In a world where women's rights are still challenged, the damage shows more descriptively and literally how gender inequality continues to exist. The statue's home country has historically and continues to oppose women's right to autonomy and health, such as in its recent case of Roe v. Wade

In its original form, the piece symbolizes a strong and powerful woman. The fact that the statue is 18 feet tall gives its grandiose appearance and impact on the audience. The gold layer finishes off its royal appearance. When broken, its majestic qualities remain but with a more decaying and gruesome effect. 

As the artist mentioned, its new form takes on a new art piece from the previous one. Leaving it this way moves the audience to see the evolution and impact of the artwork on its community. The decision thus is a creative and artistic choice that allows an artwork to birth a new one with more significant meaning.

Art bases its meaning on the context in which it is created. The significance it holds when made may also change throughout time — a work 100 years ago may take shape to new meaning in the modern day. Thus, the sculpture's artistic value is heightened by its profound impact and vivid reflection that life mirrors art.