Pacita Abad (1946–2004), Door made of straw I (detail), 1998, oil, acrylic, printed cloth, dyed canvas stitched on straw mat, 89 x 53 1/8 in. (226 x 135 cm)
Pacita Abad: Door to Life
April 30 – June 20, 2026
Opening reception: Thursday, April 30, 6–8pm
525 West 21st Street, NYC
Tina Kim Gallery is pleased to present Door to Life, its third solo exhibition of works by the visionary artist Pacita Abad (1946–2004). The exhibition centers on a remarkable body of work inspired by Abad’s trip to Yemen in the spring of 1998—a journey that profoundly shaped her practice in the years that followed. Drawing from the country’s architecture and decorative arts, Abad created works across a range of scales and media that reflect her deep engagement with local visual traditions.
Bringing together the Door to Life series in its entirety for the first time, the exhibition also marks the debut of Abad’s never-before-seen qamariya paintings, inspired by the intricate stained glass windows of Sana’a. On view are both intimate and large-scale trapunto paintings, alongside works from her Door Made of Straw series, in which she painted on woven mats and incorporated textiles. The qamariya works, painted on collected stencils, extend her dialogue with regional craft practices.
Together, these works underscore Abad’s enduring commitment to centering cultural materials and artistic traditions beyond the frameworks of Western art markets and institutions, offering a vibrant and deeply considered vision of global interconnectedness.
Abad was a pioneering artist known for her rigorous political engagement and radical embrace of global arts and crafts practices, which she encountered throughout decades of extensive travel. Born to a politically-active family in Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines, Abad came to the United States in 1970 where she studied at Lone Mountain College in San Francisco before embarking on her decades of nomadic travel to 62 countries across Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Africa. Although she took courses at The Art Students League and the Corcoran School of Art, Abad stated, “Traveling for me is my art school.” Abad’s practice was distinctly porous, accumulating layersof material, technical, and formal influences throughout her 32-year-long career. Her practice was profoundly influenced by the artisans, seamstresses, craftspeople, journalists, and everyday people she met across her travels. Abad considered her practice to be global rather than defined by any single artistic style or national identity.
To learn more, click here.