As Kansas City prepares to welcome international visitors for World Cup matches this summer, a new exhibition highlights the global roots that are already woven through in the metro.
"The World in Kansas City," on display at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art through Aug. 9, brings together artists from around the world who have built meaningful ties to the Midwest and Kansas City.
Through textiles, ceramics, photography, and mixed-media work, the exhibition explores themes of migration, identity and belonging.
“This exhibition truly is what we're calling a love letter to the region," said chief curator for the museum, Jessica Hong.
She and participating artist Hùng Lê joined KCUR's Up To Date to break down what went into curating the exhibit. They emphasized how Kansas City has welcomed people from around the world since long before the World Cup came into the conversation.
"It really is a celebration of this really wonderful place that has been welcoming so many artists, thinkers, dreamers, doers — again, from around the world for hundreds of years," Hong said. "We continue to do that, and we're going to celebrate that during the World Cup as well."
- Jessica Hong, chief curator for the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
- Hùng Lê, participating artist in "The World in Kansas City"
