MILWAUKEE — A new group exhibition at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) is exploring how a simple geometric form can carry a powerful message about identity, culture, and connection.
Titled “The Circle That Unites Us: How One Becomes Many,” the show brings together local and national artists whose work reflects on unity through the enduring symbol of the circle.
Curated by independent curator and visual artist Nina Ghambarzadeh, the exhibition highlights how patterns and shared forms transcend cultural boundaries.
Through sculpture, mixed media, and immersive installations, each artist offers a distinct interpretation, yet remains connected by a universal shape.
Watch: Nina Ghambarzadeh brings unity into focus at MIAD
“My aim with this exhibition was to bring together artists from different backgrounds and heritages and also to showcase the importance of the geometric patterns and the circle,” said Ghambarzadeh.
“Circle symbolizes unity cross-culturally, and it emphasizes the importance of the patterns and their relationship to the cosmos and nature, in short.”The circle appears throughout the gallery in layered textures, suspended forms, and interactive spaces. In some works, it reflects the cycles of nature and the cosmos; in others, it represents community, ancestry, and continuity.
Together, the pieces invite visitors to consider how individual identities contribute to a shared human story.
Ghambarzadeh says the goal extends beyond aesthetics. The exhibition is designed to spark conversation and encourage connection among viewers from all walks of life.
“I want to highlight that as humans, we all have different ways of thinking, different lifestyles, different opinions, but there should be some middle ground for all of us to come together and then connect on a human level and just really negotiate and exchange ideas,” she said.
At MIAD, “The Circle That Unites Us” ultimately reflects its title — demonstrating how one symbol, repeated and reimagined, can represent many voices. The exhibition underscores art’s ability to create common ground, reminding visitors that even in diversity, there is unity.
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