Past Exhibitions

As the year draws to a close and we celebrate the grand finale of our exhibition season, the Monterey Museum of Art (MMA) proudly presents Iluminado—an invitation to become part of a living and growing art installation. With FREE admission throughout December, MMA is set to launch a series of programs for adults, students, and families. Whether it's Free Family Fun Day, Yoga in the Galleries, or our Winter Art Market, December promises to be a vibrant month at MMA!

Iluminado marks a new chapter for MMA and signifies a transformative view of art and its role in space and community. Join us in this seasonal celebration of unity, creativity, and wonder.

Become a Part of our Living Art Installation

At the center of Iluminado, Alison Oksner and Nada Abdelshahid will create an interactive mural and art installation, inviting visitors to contribute their ideas, memories, and collective imagination. Visit MMA throughout December to see how each person's touch shapes an artwork of light, reflection, community, and celebration.

Lumina Lane

We are excited to announce the return of Lumina Lane, an exhibition of student artwork created for Iluminado! Now exhibited in the Currents Gallery, visitors will be able to interact with the art in a new way. Join us in celebrating MMA's Arts Connecting Community initiative and see the wonderful work of schools across Monterey County. MMA is grateful to the students, teachers, and families of Loma Vista Elementary School, Prunedale Elementary School, and Rose Ferrero Elementary School.

Iluminado Programming

Join us for a month-long series of FREE workshops, activities, celebrations, and so much more!

Meet the Artists 

Alison Oksner communicates through murals, multi-media collaborations, and performance work. In an era of constant visual and digital communication, painting alone offers Oksner a method of analog participation. In public art and performance, she strives to meet others in conversation and documentation. By painting in public, she invites possibilities and attempts to record bodily experiences that cameras cannot describe. Oksner holds a B.A. in Political Communication from The School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University. She has painted 17 murals and held live-painting residencies in multiple cities across the U.S. and Chile.

Nada Abdelshahid, born in Monterey, California, is known for her sculptures made from natural materials, discarded parts, and industrial detritus. Her parents, who immigrated from the Middle East in 1989 with Fine Arts degrees and two young children, worked as military language instructors teaching Arabic at the Defense Language Institute in Fort Ord, where she was raised. Abdelshahid's public art reflects an awareness of social and economic inequalities, often displayed in non-traditional, accessible spaces that encourage community participation. Her mission is to create positive public experiences that reveal societal realities, foster empathy, and explore critical issues in poetic, compelling ways.

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