Peace at ESMoA
ESMoA Experience 69: PEACE explores peacebuilding as both a global and local pursuit, bringing together voices of international icons and Southern California–based artists who address conflict, displacement, and resilience through contemporary visual art. Rather than presenting peace as a static ideal, the exhibition frames it as an active, evolving process shaped by dialogue, imagination, and transformation.
The exhibition is anchored by twelve lithographs from Peter Badge – Peace, Print Edition 2024. Created from Badge’s iconic black and white portraits and finished with a soft layer of color, the works feature Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr., Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Elie Wiesel, José Ramos-Horta, Kim Dae-jung, Malala Yousafzai, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, Nadia Murad Basee Taha, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Tawakkol Karman, and Wangari Muta Maathai. These works ground the exhibition in a global vision of peace shaped by courage, faith, and moral conviction. Their portraits invite reflection on the perseverance of individuals who have fought for justice and human dignity across the world.
In conversation with these portraits are works by contemporary artists whose practices respond to current social and environmental challenges.
By juxtaposing Badge’s global lens with Southern California’s creative voices, PEACE underscores the interconnectedness of local action and global awareness. The exhibition engages the public through free programs, artist talks, and participatory activities that invite reflection on how art can foster empathy and coexistence.
Featured Artists: Ghada Amer, Judith Francisca Baca, Peter Badge, Corita Kent, Wilhelm Leibl, Álvaro D. Márquez, So-Young Park, Odilon Redon, Cole Sternberg, Carlos “Kopyeson” Talavera, Nadya Tolokonnikova, Gary Tyler, Ralph Ziman
Curator: Bernhard Zuenkeler
Dates: March 14th - September 12, 2026