In an expansion of her 2002 series, I Need A Hero, Butt depicts a heroine inspired by Mukhtar Mai battling a dragon and demons, barefoot and confident. In a piece whose size reflects Mai’s courage, Butt honors the hero with a 16 x 36 foot work on the façade of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Mai, a rape victim turned advocate and activist, inspired the 2002 series, and embodies this larger-than-life artwork that tells the story of justice, strength, and triumph.
Clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt, our contemporary warrior wields her sword against three antagonists. She stands triumphantly atop one demon, her sword piercing the other, as she faces the dragon head on. Women frame the work, peering upon the heroine in anticipation, awe, and admiration. She serves as a beacon of hope for the women around her, as does her real-life counterpart.
There are, however, deeper dimensions within this work. “I don’t want it to be viewed through the lens of imperial feminism, because it’s not the only battle she’s facing,” Butt explains in conversation. Looking beyond the fore figures, we see a section of ‘In God We Trust’ fabricating the arena in which the battle takes place. In God We Trust (2013-2017) is a series of works created with shredded dollar bills. The shredded bills have been reassembled to recreate a large-scale dollar bill, a commentary on capitalism and the value we place on monetary gain. Looming above the entire scene, a small fleet of warcrafts buzz overhead. These two elements, the dollar bill and warcrafts, denote the broader context of the battles our heroine is facing.
Ambreen Butt’s I Need A Hero was commissioned by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and adorned the façade of the building from January 11 to June 26, 2017.
Deama Khader, March 2025
