Humaira Abid

The Shape of Life

July 3 - August 23, 2025

Opening Reception: “First Thursday,” July 3, 6-8pm
Artist talk: “Saturday After,” July 5 at noon

Greg Kucera Gallery is excited to announce our third exhibition with Pakistan-born artist, Humaira Abid. The show’s title, The Shape of Life, refers to an individual’s unique path and purpose in life. The artist is also painfully aware that how our life takes shape depends not just on our choices, but also on the political, social, and religious turmoil that surrounds us. Employing intricately detailed wood carving and miniature painting, the works in this exhibition address the protests of women, children living and dying in times of war, and the plight of refugees and immigrants.

“We make meaning of our lives in the way we tell our stories. This show/series is focused on the current situation in the world and how it’s shaping our lives.” –Humaira Abid

In Abid’s series of carved wood sculptures, THE SHAPE OF WAR, the artist depicts a rehal, an X-shaped book-rest used to hold religious scriptures. Displayed on the folding lectern are prayer beads, symbolizing prayers for the loss or death of a loved one, and a flower, symbolizing the youth and innocence of children. The series explores the aftermath of conflict, particularly focusing on the loss of young lives in war-torn countries, and the earth-shattering effect on the mournful parents of these children. Each sculpture is accompanied by the transcribed story of a child who lived and died in a time of war.

An installation of 24 desks takes center stage in the exhibition. Instead of pencils and textbooks, atop each desk is a THE SHAPE OF WAR sculpture, and below, a drawer providing information about children lost to war.

“Often only names and ages are published in the media, but these children are much more than that. They had dreams and were loved by many. The installation's aim is to provide more information about them and pay tribute to their lives. The world has lost many beautiful humans who had so much potential and could have changed the world.” — Humaira Abid

Installation and detail images of THE SHAPE OF PARENTING

THE SHAPE OF PARENTING (left) 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.

FRAGMENTS OF HOME LEFT BEHIND II, 1, 2, and 3

WOMEN, LIFE, FREEDOM

In WOMEN, LIFE, FREEDOM - III (left,) a pair of carved wood scissors become a frame for a painting of a woman shaving her head and human hair embroidered into an image of a flower. The work is in direct response to the 2022 arrest and beating death of Mahsa Amini in Iran. After her horrific murder, women began cutting their hair publicly to protest the morality laws and brutality used in the oppression of women.

Work in exhibition