Image courtesy of the artist and Susan Inglett Gallery
Kemper Museum Chief Curator Barbara O’Brien interviews Brooklyn-based artist Eric Fertman, who made a conscious decision to stay in New York after graduating with a BFA from Cooper Union in 1997.
National Geographic staff photographer Annie Griffiths says she's "learned that even without a shared language, it’s easy to let people know that their children are beautiful, their homes are lovely…and that their stories are worth sharing with the world.”
Kansas City artist Wilbur Niewald has been associated with the Kansas City Art Institute for 76 years, and claims it has changed, “but not as much as you would imagine…it's always been like an oasis.” In this Kemper ARTcast, Dr. Jacqueline Chanda, recently inducted President of the Kansas City Art Institute, asks Niewald about the changes in his painting over his career in conjunction with the Wilbur Niewald: The Studio Portrait, now on view at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
Sculptor Petah Coyne's Untitled #1336 (Scalapino Nu Shu) is a massive installation, featuring a 14-foot-high apple tree covered in black sand, and taxidermied pheasants and peacocks. The subtitle of the work refers to Coyne's friendship with the late poet Leslie Scalapino, and n? shu - a centuries old Chinese writing technique used by women, stories told in secret writing.
"Rodin: Sculptures from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation" displays 40 bronze sculptures in the Bloch Lobby of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
By Laura Spencer
Kansas City, Mo. – The exhibition, only the second to be installed in the lobby, is divided into three sections: figures related to the "Gates of Hell," a massive bronze portal; commissioned historical and cultural heroes; and a series of hands.
Artist June Ahrens draws on a wide range of materials, from rusty razor blades and air conditioner filters to insulation foam and pillows.
By Laura Spencer
Kansas City, Mo. – The latest series by the artist uses broken acrylic mirrors, broken jars, and bottles to create works inspired by the events of 9/11.
KCUR's Laura Spencer caught up with Ahrens recently during the installation of two of her pieces, Hiding in Plain Site and Still Standing, at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
CNN.com commissioned artists from around the world "to create or choose work to illustrate the ripple effect of 9/11." Here, Kansas City's Peregrine Honig describes her work called "Twins," and recalls where she was on September 11, 2001.
By Laura Spencer
Kansas City, Mo. –
Peregrine Honig's artist statement for CNN.com's 9/11 Ripple project:
Acquiring new art for a museum's permanent collection can be a complex, and sometimes political process. When the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art found out they'd be able to keep three of New York-based artist Roxy Paine's Scumak sculptures, they decided to open up the decision to the public.
By Laura Spencer
Kansas City, Mo. – Acquiring new art for a museum's permanent collection can be a complex, and sometimes political process.
Leo Villareal's Microcosm (2007) is a permanent site-specific light sculpture at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Overland Park, Kan.
Kansas City, Mo. – In 2006, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art commissioned a major site-specific installation from artist Leo Villareal for the cantilever of the museum's entrance. Executive director Bruce Hartman calls Villareal's Microcosm "one of the museum's most iconic works."
The elaborately crafted Roxy Paine sculpture called Ferment resembles a 56-foot tall stainless steel tree. It's a new addition to the sculpture park at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. KCUR's Laura Spencer takes a look at the New York-based artist's connections to Kansas City and the two-week installation process.
Kansas City, Mo. – The homeless are less visible around downtown Kansas City than in years' past. In his second part of a series , KCUR's Dan Verbeck went to the heart of the district and filed this account:
Kansas City, MO – For the past several years, Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas, has been the last place on the planet that officially develops Kodak's Kodachrome film. But with the end of 2010, the lab stopped processing Kodachrome.
So in the past few months, the lab has been receiving thousands of film rolls a day from all over the world. KC Currents' Alex Smith hit the road for Parsons to find out more.
Stainless steel is an elegant medium. It's an alloy of metals, including chromium and nickel. A local master of the material says he's hanging up his hat, at least for now.
By Laura Spencer
Kansas City, MO – Stainless steel is an elegant medium. It's an alloy of metals, including chromium and nickel. A local master of the material says he's hanging up his hat, at least for now.
Gloria Baker Feinstein originally traveled to East Africa in 2006 to photograph children whose parents had died of AIDS. During the three week project, she says she encountered children who radiated hope, even in desperate circumstances. So when she returned home, Feinstein began a different kind of project.
Two new public art projects in downtown Kansas City sound a bit like the names of emo rock bands: Pedestrian Strands and Celestial Flyways. But they're both a sign of the changing times in the downtown loop and a shifting approach to public space.
Kansas City Snapshot is a project created by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects to celebrate the organization's 150th anniversary. As discussions continue about the future of the metropolitan area - from downtown Kansas City to Metcalf Avenue - organizers say this "yearlong experiment" could provide an opportunity to take a look at where we are now...and how we live, work and play.
One of Kansas City's most respected artists Ken Ferguson passed away in December. In April, a memorial service was held in his honor.
By Laura Spencer
Kansas City, Missouri – Memorial service for Ken Ferguson, Saturday, April 2, 2005 at Community Christian Church, 4601 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri.
