THE SHAPE OF PARENTING, 2025
Carved and laser etched pine, pigments on handmade wasli paper, tru-vu museum acrylic
20 x 134.75 x 6.5 inches
$18,000
Carved and laser etched pine, pigments on handmade wasli paper, tru-vu museum acrylic
20 x 134.75 x 6.5 inches
$18,000
Carved and laser etched pine, pigments on handmade wasli paper, tru-vu museum acrylic
20 x 134.75 x 6.5 inches
$18,000
Individual dimensions:
Takhti: 15 x 8 x 1/2 inches each (the one with carved ear is 15 (L) x 8 (W) x 1.5 (D)
Faucets: 6.6 (D) x 2.25 (W) x 4.25 (H) inches each (total 7 in the installation)
There are total of 13 pieces on the top row and 7 faucets in this installation.
This wall sculpture explores the anxiety and complexity of parenting in today’s world. The central 11 takhtis—wooden tablets traditionally used in Pakistan to practice writing—are laser-etched with fears and concerns shared by parents the artist interviewed. A carved ear on the final tablet to the right symbolizes listening, while the leftmost panel features a self-portrait of the artist covering her daughter’s eyes as she plays cat’s cradle, a metaphor for the innocence of childhood amid unseen threats. The total of 13 takhtis reflects the age of the artist’s daughter and the threshold into adolescence. Seven faucets represent the relentless flow of information—screen time, social media, advertising, and misinformation—streaming into children’s lives every day of the week.