Born in Baghdad on the eve of Saddam Hussein's seizure of power, Vian Sora is a self-taught artist whose artistic eye is very quickly stimulated by the activity of her parents, who are involved in an auction business. She left her country in 2009, travelling through Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, before settling in the United States.
"It was a culture shock. I felt like I always had to downplay who I am to be accepted, but I also met some great people who supported me and my practice." - Vian Sora for the Arab News media.
Wars and conflicts permeate her paintings through abstract landscapes. Although largely abstract, Sora's paintings suggest figures and places, including gardens and war zones, life and death.
Her work will soon be on view at the Speed Art Museum as part of 'Rounding the Circle: The Mary and Alfred Collection', a major exhibition celebrating the extensive and important collection of contemporary art assembled by Alfred Shands III (1928-2021) and Mary Norton Shands (1930-2009) in Kentucky (United States).
Photo: "Woodland" by Vian Sara, 2020, oil on canvas.