top of page

Review of “Ella” by Nour Kuri

Chris Karr

Updated: Jan 30

Nour Kuri, based in vibrant Mexico City, draws deeply from her cultural surroundings, weaving rich imagery and narratives into her abstract works. Her sculptures, which depict women in dynamic and contemplative poses, are paired with her evocative poetry, creating a dialogue between form and verse. Kuri uses abstraction and her materials in such a way that commands attention. Through her use of materials— which include bronze, marble, wood, terra cotta, and glass—Kuri achieves a striking balance of strength and delicacy.

Nour Kuri, Mexican, “Madre Mía,” 2016, Bronze. Courtesy of the artist.
Nour Kuri, Mexican, “Madre Mía,” 2016, Bronze. Courtesy of the artist.

Madre Mía conveys a woman who clasps her hands in prayer. Sculpted with bronze, she wears a blue cloak, which has stars that are denoted by incised lines. The woman stands tall, with an elongated, blue cloak, and a rather small head. Madre Mía references Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the Virgin Mary associated with the apparition to Juan Diego. Her abstraction does not take away from the familiarity of her pose and her cloak.

In her poem that accompanies this piece, Kuri writes:


“Madre mía

A Tus ojos

Mi Victa”


In English, the poem translates to:

“Mother of Mine

In Your eyes

My victory”


Ironically, Madre Mía has no eyes, neither implied or incised. Kuri’s poem asserts her success as an artist who is displayed internationally. The Virgin silently surveys the other pieces in the exhibit, and Kuri’s “victory” lies in portraying women, through a woman’s lens, in a museum space. And museum spaces are, of course, traditionally dominated by male perspectives.


Nour Kuri, Mexican, “Dama de Sombrero,” 2012, Bronze, Ferrari red patina. Courtesy of the artist.
Nour Kuri, Mexican, “Dama de Sombrero,” 2012, Bronze, Ferrari red patina. Courtesy of the artist.

The next piece, Dama de Sombrero, shows another timeless image of a woman. This sculpture, which is bronze with red patina, portrays a woman reclining on the podium that lifts her upward. While looking at this artwork, one could think of how reclined women are historically painted as nude and objectified.


Her position is one of exhaustion. Her body is swollen and large in comparison to her small head. The woman’s body bears tension, while her mind, her peace, comes second in scale. 


Kuri writes about this piece, exclaiming:

“En Pausa

           The routine, time, worries…

                             ¡La vida!

           To allow yourself for an instant to forget,

           To let go of the load,

                             Which consumes us…

           We have to put on the hat,

           That assumes a time of ours,

                              En Paz….”


Both Madre Mía and Dama de Sombrero bear the weight of the world—one as the mother of the world’s savior in Catholicism, and the other as a figure embodying the women in our lives: a grandmother, mother, aunt, sister, or friend. I think of my own mother and sister, who work full-time in education; as part of the 77 percent of women K-12 public school teachers in the United States, they cultivate the minds of future generations of students.


Kuri’s Ella invites viewers to reflect on the complexities of womanhood. Through her poignant sculptures and accompanying poetry, Kuri creates a deeply personal yet universally resonant experience that lingers long after leaving the exhibit.



Ella is on display at the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) in McAllen until February 9, 2025.

0 comments

Comments


bottom of page