The Buffalo AKG Art Museum will present "Ali Banisadr: Temple of the Mind," a solo exhibition running from June 26 to November 8, 2026. The show occupies the Hemicycle Gallery and, for the first time, the Wilmers Galleries, where Banisadr's works will be installed alongside Surrealist and Abstract Expressionist pieces from the museum's permanent collection. The exhibition includes an installation exploring the artist's influences, featuring works by Andō Hiroshige and Francisco de Goya, as well as studio materials, a new etching created with Mirabo Press, and an audio journey narrated by Banisadr.
This exhibition matters because it marks the first time an artist has been invited to intervene in the AKG's permanent collection galleries, signaling a curatorial shift toward dialogue between contemporary and historical works. By borrowing its title from Albert Pinkham Ryder's painting, the show positions Banisadr within a lineage of visionary artists, while the inclusion of his studio materials and a documentary film offers unprecedented insight into his creative process. The project underscores the museum's commitment to fostering deep, immersive engagements with living artists.