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Modern Diety is a conceptual sculpture that equates the powerful Hindu god Shiva, known as the creator and destroyer of the world, to a modern day basketball star such a Michael Jordan or Kevin Garnet.
In the original bronze Hindu depictions, Shiva Nataraja is shown dancing in a hoop of fire with four arms. The hoop of fire, which symbolizes the universe, reminded Minneapolis sculptor Brant Kingman of a basketball hoop. In fact, Modern Diety's original inspiration came from recognizing the similarity between flames on Shiva's circle of fire, his universe, and the hooks that hold a basketball net to a basketball hoop. Because sports heroes are worshiped in an almost god-like fashion today, Kingman thought he could substitute Shiva with a four-armed ball player, cast it in bronze and tell the tongue-in-chic story of contemporary American devotion (to sports and stardom). Demand will determine whether to leave the sculpture a one-of-a-kind work or to make it available to a limited number of collectors.
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