First Friday at PENTIMENTI: Miles to Go Before We Sleep
Miles to Go Before We Sleep
HUMAIRA ABID
SEPTEMBER 8 - OCTOBER 24, 2026
First Friday | Gallery Walk in Philadelphia
Friday, October 2 | 7 – 8 PM
Pentimenti is pleased to present "Miles to Go Before We Sleep", a solo exhibition of intricately detailed wood carvings and paintings by artist Humaira Abid.
Adapted from Robert Frost’s iconic line, “And miles to go before I sleep,” the exhibition’s title shifts the singular “I” to the collective “we,” transforming a personal journey into a shared one. In a world marked by inequality, displacement, war, political division, and ongoing struggles for human rights, Abid’s work reflects on the challenges we face together and reminds us that the work of repair remains unfinished.
At the core of Abid’s practice is an exploration of women’s lives and the tension between the visible and invisible expectations placed upon them: to nurture, adapt, sustain continuity, and heal, often while navigating restrictions imposed by society, culture, or religion. Parenting is another recurring theme, reflecting the profound challenges of raising and protecting children in a rapidly changing
world.
Migration is equally central to Abid’s work. It can be an act of hope and love, a journey undertaken in search of safety, opportunity, and a better future. Yet migration can also bring separation, uncertainty, danger, and loss. Through these interconnected themes, Abid examines the resilience required to navigate displacement, responsibility, and the search for belonging.
Throughout the exhibition, familiar objects, including clocks, signs, thread, toys, and shoes become metaphors for time, memory, and lived experience. Everyday acts of knitting, reading, mending, parenting, and protesting intersect with broader realities of migration and displacement, connecting intimate personal experiences to larger social and political forces.
"Miles to Go Before We Sleep" ultimately reflects on perseverance, collective responsibility, and the unfinished work of repair. It asks us to consider what we owe to one another, and what remains to be done. There are still miles to go before we sleep.
Humaira Abid received her BFA in Sculpture and Miniature Painting from the National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan. Her work has been exhibited internationally at museums and institutions including the Museum for Art in Wood, Philadelphia, PA; Civic Museum of Palazzo della Penna, Perugia, Italy; Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, WA; Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle, WA; Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, WA; Lahore Biennale 02 and Islamabad Art Fair, Lahore, Pakistan, among others.
Abid has received numerous awards, including the Kayla Skinner Special Recognition Award from the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA; the Bob Stocksdale International Excellence in Wood Award, Philadelphia, PA; the Arts Innovator Award from The Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation, Seattle, WA, among others. She has also participated in international residencies, symposia, and lectures. Two documentary films about her work, produced by KCTS 9/PBS and Seattle Channel, were nominated for Northwest Emmy Awards. Her work can be found in institutions and private collections: the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, WA; Daetz-Centrum, Museum of Sculpture in Wood, Lichtenstein; Kuona Trust Centre for Visual Arts, Nairobi, Kenya; National Art Gallery and Museum, Islamabad, Pakistan; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Philadelphia, PA; Sarawak Living Museum, Sarawak, Malaysia; and more.
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
In Partnership with COLLECTIVE FUTURES | Walkthrough with the Curator
Friday, October 2 | 6:30 PM
For all inquiries, please contact us at [email protected] or +1 (215) 625-9990.
