Ali Banisadr's First Major US Museum Survey Opens at Katonah Museum of Art
The Katonah Museum of Art (KMA) will host 'Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist', marking the first significant museum exhibition in the U.S. dedicated to Brooklyn-based artist Ali Banisadr, who was born in Iran. Curated by Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, this showcase covers nearly two decades of Banisadr's work (2006–present) in painting, drawing, and printmaking, and introduces a new series of sculptures made specifically for the KMA. Scheduled from March 16 to June 29, 2025, the exhibition delves into Banisadr's personal narrative shaped by Iran's political turmoil, his relocation to the U.S., and his artistic inspirations, which include Mesopotamian artifacts, Persian miniatures, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism. A comprehensive catalogue published by Yale University Press features essays by Dr. William H. Sherman, Dr. Gražina Subelytė, and Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, along with a section annotated by Elizabeth Monti and a dialogue between Banisadr and art historian Robert Storr.
Key facts
- Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist is the first major U.S. museum survey of the artist.
- The exhibition is curated by Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, Director and Chief Curator of KMA.
- It encompasses works from 2006 to the present across painting, drawing, and printmaking.
- A group of sculptures, a new direction for the artist, will be presented for the first time.
- The exhibition runs from March 16 to June 29, 2025 at the Katonah Museum of Art.
- Banisadr's work references Mesopotamian antiquities, Persian miniatures, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.
- The accompanying catalogue is distributed by Yale University Press.
- The catalogue includes essays by Dr. William H. Sherman, Dr. Gražina Subelytė, and Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe.
Entities
Artists
- Ali Banisadr
Institutions
- Katonah Museum of Art
- Yale University Press
- The Warburg Institute, University of London
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Locations
- Katonah
- United States
- Brooklyn
- Iran