Sociolinguist Noriko Sugimori has often worked with her students to collect oral histories from Japanese-speaking World War II survivors in Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Their testimonies reveal personal experiences that have often remained untold and show how the past continues to shape the present. Drawing on video excerpts from these interviews, Dr.…
In this richly illustrated graphic novel, George Takei recounts his childhood imprisonment as Japanese Americans were relocated and incarcerated during World War II. The memoir explores resilience and patriotism while connecting past injustices to discrimination. Blending history with storytelling, the book urges readers to challenge prejudice in America. Themes in this discussion will tie into…
Representatives from several Midwest colleges and universities will be available to meet with students to review their portfolios and offer admissions advice. Registration is strongly encouraged. This event is free to attend and open to all high school junior and senior art students. • 8 - 9am: College and university presentations • 9am: Galleries open •…
Enjoy free admission and extended hours until 8pm on Thursdays, thanks to generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program and the Efroymson Family Fund.
Jimmy Mirikitani (1920-2012) was a Japanese American artist who survived the trauma of WWII incarceration, the loss of family and friends in his ancestral city of Hiroshima, a harsh life on the streets of New York, and the chaos of 9/11—all by making art. Sitting alone on a windy corner in Soho, he drew whimsical…
All KIA galleries will be closed to the public on Saturday, October 17, 2026, to support new exhibition installations and help our teams prepare for our UNFRAMED: Soirée event. The Kirk Newman Art School will remain open.
UNFRAMED: Soirée will return October 17, 2026. Join us for a spectacular evening as we honor Jim and Carol Carter and raise vital funds for the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts! Please visit our UNFRAMED: Soirée page to learn more about the event, sponsorships, and ticket sales.
Enjoy free admission and extended hours until 8pm on Thursdays, thanks to generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program and the Efroymson Family Fund.
Join us for a Gallery Game Night, where we’ll explore the permanent collection through interactive, art-focused games and creative sketching activities. This event is appropriate for all ages.
Helen Frankenthaler's large-scale painting Code Blue has returned from New York, where it was included in the Gagosian exhibition Helen Frankenthaler: The Moment and the Distance. Celebrate the return of this beloved part of the KIA's permanent collection with a screening of The Eye is the First Circle. Inspired by Mary Gabriel's bestseller Ninth Street…
Enjoy free admission and extended hours until 8pm on Thursdays, thanks to generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program and the Efroymson Family Fund.
In the wake of Pearl Harbor and the United States’ declaration of war on Japan, the U.S. government ordered the removal of more than 120,000 men, women, and children from their homes based on their Japanese ancestry and imprisoned them in remote incarceration camps. Two-thirds were U.S. citizens. In this talk, Dr. Donna Nagata will…