Name: KulturalVicinity – Khmer Art in Chicago
Start: 2026-07-18T18:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-07-18T21:00:00-05:00
Location: Mora

KulturalVicinity creates cultural gatherings with exceptional food, scholarly conversation, and art. We're on a mission to make culture more accessible and sustainable with aspirations to be a B Corp.

KV embodies our founder's love of travel to discover, learn, and grow. It amazes him how similar we are, yet how different everyone's experience is. We're here to celebrate that. He lives in Chicagoland with his family and their Maltese. He's educated at Columbia and Cornell, raised in Mark Twain's Elmira, NY, and a member of SunHearts — a Swiss ethical business community.

The Program

Join us for Khmer Art in Chicago featuring award-winning Asian fusion cuisine, art gallery visit, and livestream scholar-led conversation.

Saturday, July 18, 2026

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Mora · 201 Harrison Street · Oak Park Arts District

An intimate setting in the backroom of our favorite neighborhood Asian eatery, itself home to Khmer art, a surprise awaits!

Limited Capacity – 24 · $75/person

Settling in + appetizers
Welcome drinks alongside savory pork Japanese Gyoza dumplings and Filipino Lumpia eggrolls.
Welcome remarks
The emcee sets the tone and lays out how the gathering will unfold.
Art gallery visit
A brief 1/2-block stroll to Dr. Ann Viernes's exhibition space and shop Purple Sun Arts.
Dinner
Truffle salt edamame and choice of freshly curated main: basil tofu, basil chicken, or salmon and veggies.
Coffee & dessert
10-minute break to stand up and return to your seat with coffee and a sampling of authentic bite-sized Filipino indulgences.
Scholar-led conversation
Scholar Nicolas Revire joins live from Siem Reap to discuss the history, iconography, and his provenance research of Khmer art at the Art Institute of Chicago where he formerly was research fellow. Time for questions will follow.
Concluding remarks + feedback
A brief closing reflection and a 1-minute QR survey.

Past gatherings

Photo by Nate Ryan, Courtesy KulturalVicinity

Your Cultural Guides

Scholar Nicolas Revire

French School of Asian Studies, Bangkok
Center for Khmer Studies, Siem Reap

Nicolas Revire is research associate with the French School of Asian Studies in Bangkok and fellow at the Center for Khmer Studies in Siem Reap. He was previously Research Fellow at the Art Institute of Chicago where he conducted research on the museum's SE Asian art collections and histories.

Nicolas holds a PhD from the Université Paris 3–Sorbonne Nouvelle and specializes in the art, archeology, and history of early SE Asia with particular interest in Hindu and Buddhist traditions of Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. His work combines field research, museum studies, and the interpretation of ancient sculptures and monuments. Nicolas has edited several books on SE Asian art and serves as Managing Editor of the Journal of the Siam Society.

Executive Chef

Mora

[Under Construction]

Artist Educator & Founder Dr. Ann Viernes

Purple Sun Arts

Founder of Purple Sun Arts in the Oak Park Arts District, where she exhibits her own work alongside other artists. Leads transformational workshops and life coaching in her on-site lounge.

Emcee Mike Creighton

KulturalVicinity

Oak Park Arts District resident born with the nomadic bug, curious, and drawn to travel's knack of pushing him out of his comfort zone, he'll be there throughout sweating the details so you won't have to.

What People Are Saying

"It was honestly really incredible."

— ATTENDEE

"It was lovely."

— ATTENDEE

"Great event!"

— ATTENDEE

KulturalVicinity

The Program

Past gatherings

Your Cultural Guides

What People Are Saying

Reserve Your Spot