I thought I knew what I was walking into.
I had seen much of this same work at Fort Mason. I knew the images. I knew the history. I knew Bonnie’s ideas.
But I was not prepared for how I would feel walking through Bonnie Ora Sherk: Life Frames since 1970 at UC Santa Barbara.
I was deeply moved.
I was deeply moved.
There is something extraordinarily powerful—and poignant—about this presentation. The colored walls, the intimacy of the galleries, the placement of the videos, and the way one work leads you into another create a much more concentrated message.
The work may be the same, but somehow it speaks differently here.
And for me, it spoke loudly.
The videos were particularly emotional. They aren’t simply documentation playing beside the work. They feel alive within it. Bonnie’s voice, her thinking, her actions and her extraordinary belief that art could transform the places where we live become part of the experience of moving through the exhibition.
There were moments when I simply had to stand there and take it all in.
For those who saw the Fort Mason presentation, I think this exhibition will affect you differently, too. It is a remarkable reminder that how we encounter art can completely change what we understand—and what we feel.
If I lived in California, I would return again and again.
Once simply isn’t enough.
And perhaps one of the most beautiful things about this exhibition is that it is FREE. Everyone has the opportunity to walk through these doors and experience Bonnie’s work.
Bonnie Ora Sherk: Life Frames since 1970 is on view at the Art, Design & Architecture Museum at UC Santa Barbara through November 29, 2026.
Special Programs
All programs are free.
- September 26, 5–7 PM — Public Reception
- October 15, 12–2 PM — Snow Job (1970) Performance and Workshop
- October 16, 12–2 PM — Curator-led Tour and Talk with Tanya Zimbardo, followed by a conversation with UCSB Professor Jenni Sorkin
If you are anywhere near Santa Barbara, please go.
And to the creative and curatorial team who brought this exhibition to life: thank you. You did more than beautifully install Bonnie’s work. You allowed it to breathe, to speak, and—in a very real way—to live again.
I will carry the experience of walking through these galleries with me for a very long time.
– China Bushell Executive Director Life Frames, Inc. / A Living Library
As we celebrate this important exhibition, we also celebrate the living legacy Bonnie created—one that continues to grow through every garden planted, every student inspired, every habitat restored, and every community that embraces the Living Library model.
📍 Learn more and plan your visit: https://www.museum.ucsb.edu/exhibition/bonnie-ora-sherk-life-frames-since-1970/