Esteemed sculptor Alison Saar will discuss the ancient and transformative powers of metal and its casting. Referencing Western mythologies as well as Fon and Yoruba deities, the artist will cite her monumental commissions and smaller cast pieces. One such cast piece is her bronze sculpture Inheritance (2009), currently on view in the exhibition Fire Metal Monument: Bronze at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Alison Saar’s work can be found in over sixty public collections, including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, National Gallery of Australia, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to numerous awards and residences, she has had over thirty solo exhibitions, including the glowingly reviewed Alison Saar: Of Aether and Earthe, on view at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena and the Benton Museum at Pomona College through December 19. The Los Angeles Times recently described Saar as “among the finest American sculptors working today.”

This event is in person at Santa Barbara Museum of Art's Mary Craig Auditorium.

In an effort to create the safest possible environment, please note visitors who plan to attend an event in SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium must show proof of being fully vaccinated OR, in some cases, supply a negative Covid-19 medical test result (taken within 72 hours prior to each event), along with an official photo ID, before entering the venue. Visitors must also follow SBMA’s mask policy and wear a mask in accordance with the recommendations of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD)California’s Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mask guidance. Capacity limited to 50 seats.