Exclusive Artist Tour | The Alchemist with Ali Banisadr
Exclusive Artist Tour | The Alchemist with Ali Banisadr
Be among the first to experience Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist in this exclusive tour led by the artist himself. As you move through the galleries, Banisadr will share insights into nearly two decades of his work, reflecting on the memories, sounds, and histories that shape his richly layered paintings, and offering a rare, personal perspective on the influences behind his dynamic compositions. Discover the artistic references, mythologies, and moments from world history that converge within his turbulent yet celebratory visual worlds.
This intimate tour offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with one of today’s most compelling contemporary painters and to experience the exhibition through the artist’s own voice. Capacity is limited to just 20 participants—reserve your spot early so you don’t miss out.
Exclusive Artist Tour | The Alchemist with Ali Banisadr
Saturday, April 11, 2026
9:00 AM–10:00 AM
Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg FL 33701
Tickets are extremely limited! Secure your spot today.
$30 for MFA Members; $50 for Not-Yet-Members; Includes museum admission
ABOUT ALI BANISADR
Born in Tehran, Iran in 1976, the artist grew up amidst the turmoil of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88). In 1988, Banisadr left Iran with his family at the age of twelve, first reaching Turkey and then San Diego, California. While living in San Francisco as a young adult, he became involved with the local graffiti art community while studying psychology. He later moved to New York City where he earned a BFA at the School of Visual Arts (2005) and an MFA at the New York Academy of Art (2007). The artist currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Banisadr has been the subject of international solo museum exhibitions at the Museo Stefano Bardini and Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, (2021); Benaki Museum, Athens, (2020); Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, (2020); Gemäldegalerie, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, (2019); and the Het Noordbrabants Museum, Den Bosch, (2019).
His work has also been included in major group exhibitions including the Venice Biennale (2013) and Prague Biennale (2013). Banisadr’s work is included in significant public collections including the Benaki Museum, Athens; British Museum, London; Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Het Noordbrabants Museum, Den Bosch; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Museum der Moderne, Salzburg; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia; and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, among others.
Image:
Ali Banisadr (b. 1976), Things Fall Apart (detail), 2007, oil on linen, 44 x 50 in. Collection of Jacob Miller. Photography by Jeffrey Sturges. © Ali Banisadr
