During this ArtBreak, Prof. Ginger Owen-Murakami will discuss one of the most influential documentary photographs ever created. Produced by Dorothea Lange during the Great Depression as part of Roy Stryker’s Farm Security Administration (FSA) photography project, Migrant Mother remains in the public domain of the United States Library of Congress. As one of the most…
Join conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas for a public conversation exploring how artists document society and shape what it means to be American. Presented on the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Thomas will also reflect on love, language, and unity as tools for collective healing — drawing on his own practice, including his neon work,…
In September, Art Detectives will read a story about the Statue of Liberty and what she represents. Then they will explore the exhibition For the People, By the People to see how artists share the stories of the American people. Special guest Katie Platte from the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center will join us and show…
Between June 27 and October 4, drop in on Sundays between 1:30–2:30pm and have a conversation with a docent who can provide information and answer questions about the For the People, By the People: America at 250 exhibition. Free with gallery admission. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Harlem Rhapsody follows Jessie Redmon Fauset, the literary editor of The Crisis magazine, as she helps ignite the Harlem Renaissance while navigating a secret affair with W.E.B. Du Bois. As the first Black woman to hold this editorial position, Jessie wastes no time uplifting those who will become some of the greatest voices of this…
Between June 27 and October 4, drop in on Sundays between 1:30–2:30pm and have a conversation with a docent who can provide information and answer questions about the For the People, By the People: America at 250 exhibition. Free with gallery admission. Registration is encouraged but not required.
In the late 1950s, Upjohn Pharmaceuticals partnered with the United States Information Agency to develop an exhibition on Kalamazoo that toured several major European cities. "Kalamazoo...and how it grew!" was designed by Will Burtin in conjunction with Jack Masey of the United States Information Agency, with the bill for the exhibition footed by Upjohn Pharmaceuticals.…
During this talk, Dr. James Denison will examine John James Audubon’s multinational background, transatlantic audience, and the nationalist ambitions behind his celebrated publication, The Birds of America. While Audubon's book is now synonymous with naturalism in America, it was made with the intention of constructing particular ideas about place, identity, and nationhood in order to…
Between June 27 and October 4, drop in on Sundays between 1:30–2:30pm and have a conversation with a docent who can provide information and answer questions about the For the People, By the People: America at 250 exhibition. Free with gallery admission. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Photographer Sheila Pree Bright’s series Invisible Empire foregrounds the tension between the pastoral beauty of the American South and the historical exploitation of Black lives and labor that stains the landscape. In her series The Real Story of the Superheroes, Dulce Pinzón centers immigrant workers whose everyday heroism takes the form of quiet sacrifice and…
Join the KIA for an evening celebrating family, culture, creativity, and community during Hispanic Heritage Month. Noche de Familia welcomes guests of all ages to gather through art experiences, cultural activities, storytelling, and opportunities to connect with neighbors and community organizations. This year's event will place special emphasis on recognizing and honoring the contributions of…
Between June 27 and October 4, drop in on Sundays between 1:30–2:30pm and have a conversation with a docent who can provide information and answer questions about the For the People, By the People: America at 250 exhibition. Free with gallery admission. Registration is encouraged but not required.