Baghdad to Louisville: Vian Sora in Conversation with James Glisson

Vian Sora and SBMA Curator of Contemporary Art James Glisson will have a conversation about her artwork and her turn in 2017 to the abstract painting for which she has become so well known. She grew up in Baghdad, Iraq in a family of art dealers and auctioneers at the center of the Iraqi artworld but then lived through two American invasions and the Insurgency. While her paintings are ultimately life affirming and even joyous with buoyant colors, they also contain fragments of these difficult experiences as well as her adjustment to life in the United States where she has lived since 2006.

Vian Sora will have a significant mid-career exhibition organized by SBMA working in collaboration with the Speed Museum and the Asia Society Texas in July 2025. Sora has gained an international following with her abstract paintings with recent solo shows at David Nolan Gallery, New York, and Luis de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, and her work is held by many museums including SBMA, Baltimore Museum of Art, Speed Museum, Ministry of Culture Contemporary Collection, Baghdad, Iraq; and Dar El Cid Museum, Kuwait City, Kuwait.

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Join us at one or both evenings featuring acclaimed speakers who will inspire new ways of thinking about art, culture, and science. Each evening includes a festive cocktail hour, live music, delicious three-course dinner with wine and dessert prepared by Executive Chef David Rosner, and a presentation by the featured speaker.

Funds raised for Art à la carte help the Museum bring world-class exhibitions and creative and effective educational programming for the Santa Barbara community.

Visit sbmawb.org to purchase tickets, become a sponsor, learn more about each speaker, or to make a contribution.

For additional information, contact Karen Kawaguchi at kkawaguchi@sbma.net or 805.884.6428.