FATHER AND CHILD II, 2025

This hand-carved wood sculpture was inspired by the heartbreaking image of 25-year-old Salvadoran migrant Oscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his young daughter, Valeria, who drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande in search of asylum in the United States. The viral photograph shows them lying face down in the water, the child’s arm draped over her father's neck — a haunting testament to their bond and the desperation that drives so many families to risk everything for a better life.

"When I saw the photo, I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” Abid recalls, “the tragedy as well as the relationship of father and daughter who were holding on to each other even after death.” Moved by this moment—and reflecting on the beautiful connection between her own husband and daughter—she carved two pairs of shoes: worn work sneakers to represent the father’s journey and sacrifices, and small red dress shoes to symbolize the daughter’s innocence, love, and hope. Together, the shoes serve as a quiet but powerful tribute to the courage of migrant families and the enduring bond between parent and child.