Sinem Banna (/bɑːnə/; born 1968) is a Turkish-American artist currently living and working in both San Francisco, California,[1] and her home town of Istanbul, Turkey[2] and exhibits internationally.

[3][12][4] Banna then moved to the United States where she received her MFA in sculpture at the San Francisco Art Institute in California in 1994.

[4][3][12] In 1997, Banna was granted US citizenship through the First Preference EB-1 Visa for Extraordinary Ability in the arts— with the USCIS sourcing a Pulitzer, Oscar, and Olympic Medal, under examples of eligibility criteria.

[27] The work, a metal almanac with a seven-foot tall page, invited viewers and the public to put down their thoughts, in writing, on the artwork—thus constructing one large book of the voices of the San Francisco Community.

[25] Banna was awarded a residency grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation[28][9] The work, entitled "HEAR ME", is a permanent sculpture located in San Mateo Central Park, and was installed in 2009.

[28] The sculpture bench is five feet in diameter, and contains a circular seat consisting of 29 panels radiating outward; on which are imprinted children's words, phrases, and drawings.

[29][32] In conjunction with several different schools in the San Mateo Community and SMFC in California, Banna created several murals and site specific installations.