125th Anniversary Exhibitions
Throughout 2010, the Kansas City Art Institute will celebrate its 125th anniversary. A number of area galleries and museums have organized exhibitions that recognize and celebrate this milestone by making it possible for visitors to experience a dazzling array of extraordinary work by KCAI faculty and alumni.
Information about these special exhibitions is presented here, along with details about other exhibitions that will feature work by KCAI faculty and alumni during the anniversary year. Look for the ** to identify a specially-planned anniversary event.
Information about image posted on the home page: “Backyard, Diamond Bar, California,” by Joe Deal (’70 design). (1980; gelatin silver print, 11 3/16 inches by 11 5/16 inches) (From the collection of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Mo. Gift of the Hall Family Foundation, 2008.41.11.) ©Joe Deal, Courtesy Robert Mann Gallery, New York. This image will be on view from July 24, 2010, through Jan. 2, 2011, at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, as part of the "Thinking Photography: Five Decades at the Kansas City Art Institute" exhibition. Details below.
Winter
Leedy-Voulkos Art Center (through Feb. 5)
“Witness: Perspectives on War,” an exhibition featuring large-scale mural paintings by Jim Sajovic, professor in the School of the Foundation Year, and “Earth Lies Screaming,” a mural project created by Jim Leedy, former professor of sculpture, in conjunction with Grand Arts. The exhibition, which opened in November, was curated by Holly Swangstu (’94 fiber).
2012 Baltimore, Kansas City, Mo.
www.leedy-voulkos.com
Urban Culture Project’s Project Space (Jan. 15-Feb. 6 and Feb. 19-March 6)
"Commodity, Commotion, Communicatin," an exhibition of work by 2009 alumnus Sammy Persons (painting), opens Jan. 15, and "Pretty Fun," an exhibition of work by 2009 alumni Charlie Mylie (interdisciplinary arts and art history) and Tim Amundson (digital filmmaking) opens Feb. 19.
21 E. 12th St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.charlottestreet.org.
Paragraph Gallery (Jan. 15-March 4)
The "2010 UCP Studio Residents Show" will feature work by 2009 KCAI alumni Lori Yonley (interdisciplinary arts), Erica Mahinay (painting), Julie Malen (ceramics), Kurt Flecksing (sculpture) and Paul Shortt (painting).
23 E. 12th St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.charlottestreet.org.
The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art (Jan. 16-April 3)
Holly Swangstu ('94 fiber) will exhibit work in a solo exhibition entitled "Springtime in Winter." Swangstu has created a site-specific fabric painting installation in the museum's Esson Gallery.
2818 Frederick Ave., St. Joseph, Mo.
www.albrecht-kemper.org
**Jan Weiner
In honor of the 125th anniversary of the Kansas City Art Institute, Jan Winer will show artwork by faculty, alumni and others at her studio at 4800 Liberty St., just west of the Country Club Plaza, in Kansas City, Mo. A reception is planned for 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 28, and the exhibition continues by appointment through April 25. For details, call 816-550-1188. Featured artists include include Christopher Leitch (’84 fiber); Joe Keesee (’09 photography); John Pittman (’02 illustration); Sherry Cromwell-Lacy (’72 painting); Jonah Criswell (’05 painting); John Ferry (’92 illustration); Gary Sutton, professor of photography; Wilbur Niewald (B.F.A.’49 and M.F.A. ’53, painting); Russell Ferguson (’88 printmaking); Stretch ('87 sculpture); Michael Smirl ('67 painting); George Timock, professor of ceramics; Yvonne Rosser; John Ochs; and Robert Russell ('61 painting).
4800 Liberty St., Kansas City, Mo.
816-550-1188
Spring
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art (March 4-April 24 and May 7-June 26)
“Primping and the Currency of Worth,” an exhibition of ceramic sculpture by Misty Gamble, special instructor in ceramics at KCAI, plus photographs by Judy Miller from Miller’s Diorama Portfolio (March 4-April 24). Jesse Small (’97 ceramics) will exhibit "Very Little: Not Much New Work from Jesse Small" and drawings by Kiel Johnson (May 7-June 26).
2004 Baltimore, Kansas City, Mo.
www.sherryleedy.com
La Esquina (April 9-May 22)
Work by KCAI alumni will be on view in “Arrival/Departure,” an exhibition curated byJonah Criswell (’05 painting) and Maria Buszek, assistant professor of art history at KCAI.
1000 W. 25th St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.charlottestreet.org
H&R Block Artspace (April 17-May 15)
Artwork by more than 100 candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Kansas City Art Institute will be on view in the “2010 B.F.A. Exhibition.” Closing reception 6 to 8 p.m. May 14.
16 E. 43rd St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.kcai.edu/artspace.
Cocoon Gallery at the Arts Incubator (May 7-28)
Collaborative installation of work by KCAI graduating seniors Christina Dostaler (painting and art history) and Matt Jacobs (sculpture and art history).
115 W. 18th St., Kansas City, Mo.
http://artsincubatorkc.org/gallery
Summer
**Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art (June 12-Sept. 6)
"Celebrating 125 Years of the Kansas City Art Institute: Works by Alumni From the Albrecht-Kemper Collection" will open with a reception from 4 to 7 p.m. June 11. The exhibition continues through Sept. 6.
**Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (July 24, 2010-Jan. 2, 2011)
“Thinking Photography: Five Decades at the Kansas City Art Institute,” an exhibition featuring photographic works by KCAI alumni, acknowledging the rich, diverse history of the KCAI photography program from the 1960s to the present day. Curated by April M. Watson and Keith F. Davis, associate and senior curators of photography, the show will be on view in the museum’s photography galleries.
4525 Oak St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.nelson-atkins.org
Fall
**The Carter Art Center Gallery at MCC-Penn Valley (Sept. 3-Oct. 15 and Nov. 5-Dec. 11)
An exhibition of book illustrations by Thomas Hart Benton, who taught painting at KCAI from 1935 to 1941, opens Sept. 3. “In the Moment,” an exhibition of work by a cross-generational selection of KCAI alumni, opens Nov. 5. Heather Lustfeldt, an independent curator, is curating the latter exhibition.
3201 Southwest Trafficway, Kansas City, Mo.
www.mcckc.edu/pvart
Leedy-Voulkos Art Center (September-October)
Work by Stretch (’87 sculpture) will be featured in September and October, and Christopher Leitch (’84 fiber) will have a solo show in October.
2012 Baltimore, Kansas City, Mo.
www.leedy-voulkos.com
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art (September)
Work by Cary Esser (’78 ceramics), professor and chair of the KCAI ceramics department, and George Timock, ceramics professor at KCAI.
2004 Baltimore, Kansas City, Mo.
www.sherryleedy.com
**H&R Block Artspace (Oct. 8-Dec. 17)
"(Re)Form," an exhibition of works by KCAI ceramics alumni from the 1960s to the present. Curated by Catherine Futter, Helen Jane and R. Hugh “Pat” Uhlmann curator of decorative arts at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the exhibition will open with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 8. Learn more.
16 E. 43rd St., Kansas City Mo.
www.kcai.edu/artspace
**Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Oct. 8, 15, 22)
"Wave Energies FeedBack: 30 Years of Electronic Media at Kansas City Art Institute," the fall 2010 Electromediascope program at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, will feature work by KCAI alumni.
Electromediascope, an international survey of contemporary work in experimental film, video and new media, is co-curated by Patrick Clancy, professor and chair of photography and digital filmmaking at KCAI, and Gwen Widmer. For this particular program, the co-curators plan to include video, sound and performance.
The programs, which are free and open to the public, begin at 7 p.m. in the Atkins Auditorium at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. Reservations are recommended and can be obtained at www.nelson-atkins.org or at 816-751-1ART.
4525 Oak St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.nelson-atkins.org
**H&R Block Artspace (Nov. 5-Dec. 17)
Work by alumni of the KCAI School of Design will be featured in an exhibition organized by current design students under the leadership of Michael Kidwell, assistant professor of design. The show will highlight design alumni who graduated between 1940 and 2009 and will showcase works and experiences from their time at the college and from their professional careers.
16 E. 43rd St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.kcai.edu/artspace
Other
**Belger Arts Center
An exhibition of three-dimensional work by KCAI alumni and faculty.
2100 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo.
www.belgerartscenter.org
**Spencer Museum at the University of Kansas
The Spencer Museum, located on the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, is commissioning a work by Karen McCoy, associate professor of sculpture, to be installed on the front lawn of the museum during the anniversary year.
1301 Mississippi St., Lawrence, Kan.
www.spencerart.ku.edu
**Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson County Community College
Museum director Bruce Hartman plans an exhibition in the museum's Barton P. And Mary D. Cohen Gallery in celebration of the Kansas City Art Institute’s 125th anniversary.
12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, Kan.
www.nermanmuseum.org