Laura Figa 
should to shoulder

September 19 — November 1, 2025

Et al. is pleased to announce should to shoulder, Laura Figa’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. The artist presents nine sculptures in graphite—propositional variations—alongside three smaller works, plates I–III (cot, spell, and postdrome). Type-drawings of select pieces from propositional variations serve as a prelude to the show, while drawings from the ongoing series chiasmus punctuate the walls of the main gallery. Architectural and oneiric, the works result from a consideration of touch and abrasion—material processes central to both drawing and sculpture. On beds of kraft paper and felt, Figa’s sculptures lie near one another, recalling wind instruments, tablets, gifts, and near-linguistic implements. Even at rest, they register marks, enacting a core premise of Figa’s practice: contact as a form of inscription.

--

Laura Figa works in sculpture, drawing, and poetry. Her work has been shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 500 Capp St., Temple Contemporary, Et al., and elsewhere. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree in fine art from California College of the Arts. She lives and works in San Francisco.