The Basilisk by Bushra Fakhoury (b.1940), Bronze, Signed and numbered 1 of an edition of 5, Height: 201 cm (79.1 in)

Bushra Fakhoury’s The Basilisk is a commanding, monumental bronze sculpture that blurs the boundaries between the human and the mythological. Standing over two meters tall, the figure takes on a dignified, almost regal pose, its bird-like head slightly tilted upward, lips curled into a subtle, enigmatic smile. The arms are placed neatly behind the back, evoking a sense of composure and introspection. The creature’s feet, also avian in form, root it firmly to the ground, while its upright posture suggests both authority and serenity.

The sculpture’s hybrid anatomy draws inspiration from ancient mythology, specifically the basilisk, often depicted as a creature whose gaze could turn one to stone. Rather than emphasizing menace, however, Fakhoury transforms the basilisk into a contemplative, almost benevolent figure. Its presence is striking, not just for its scale, but for the emotional ambiguity it evokes: powerful yet gentle, familiar yet fantastical.

Crafted with exquisite attention to surface texture and form, the bronze bears the hallmarks of Fakhoury’s signature style, playful yet profound, rooted in allegory, and rich with symbolic potential. The smooth, patinated surface accentuates the sculptural lines of the body and lends the work a timeless, totemic quality.

Editioned as 1 of only 5, The Basilisk embodies themes that recur throughout Fakhoury’s oeuvre: transformation, hybridity, and the deeply human instinct to tell stories through form. It is both a physical and metaphysical presence an enduring monument to imagination, identity, and myth.