As part of the KIA’s mission to cultivate the creation and appreciation of the visual arts in West Michigan, we are proud to be working with Art Bridges Foundation to increase access to museums and foster engagement with local audiences. Enjoy free general admission at the KIA every fourth Thursday of the month, featuring extended…
by Sofia Lundberg, Alyson Richman, and M.J. Rose With alternating storylines set in early 1900s Sweden and present-day New York City, this historical fiction book considers the enduring power of Hilma af Klint’s art. Hilma, along with four female friends, collectively known as The Five, gather together on Friday nights to perform seances in the…
The remarkable success of the 2024 television series Shogun is only the latest example of popular fascination with Japan’s historical warriors, the samurai. Despite all this attention, the samurai remain puzzling for many people: products of both history and myth who have been repeatedly reinvented and used to explain everything from Japanese business practices to…
by Anna Harber Freeman and Barbara Gonzales In December we will learn about potter Maria Martinez. During a guided gallery tour, Art Detectives will view a piece by Martinez as well as other ceramic artists featured in the Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Century exhibition. After our walk through the galleries, we’ll make a…
Update: Due to inclement weather, this event is canceled and will be rescheduled. We will gather in the Joy Light Gallery to observe a trio of figures representing Bixia Yuanjun and Guanyin. Sometimes conflated with one another, these two Chinese goddesses are both associated with compassion, protection, and fertility. They differ, however, in their stories…
Get to know local artist James C. Palmore, who has long been a pillar of the fine and performing arts communities in Kalamazoo. Palmore’s interest in the arts was first sparked when he was a student in the Kalamazoo Public School system. In the 1970s, he took art classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College before…
Take a Wonder Walk through the galleries! The walk will include close looking at a few artworks as well as gallery games and activities. This is a great way to introduce your little one to art and the museum. Wonder Walks is for children 2-4 years old (but all are welcome) and is free with…
Together with the Ladies' Library Association, we invite you to this multidisciplinary presentation in connection to Michigan artist Betty Beeby. Through the visual arts, music, and dance, we will examine Beeby's long-reaching artistic influence, inspired by the story of the Petersboro Letters. When letters are unearthed in the family barn detailing a long-lost relationship between…
As part of the KIA’s mission to cultivate the creation and appreciation of the visual arts in West Michigan, we are proud to be working with Art Bridges Foundation to increase access to museums and foster engagement with local audiences. Enjoy free general admission at the KIA every fourth Thursday of the month, featuring extended…
by Gail Tsukiyama Set in the late 1930s during the Second Sino-Japanese war, a young Chinese man retreats to a serene coastal village in Japan to recover from tuberculosis. While healing, Stephen is cared for by a steward named Matsu whose story of loss and love intrigues Stephen. The two bond over the tranquil art…
The KIA’s centennial exhibition Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Century features idiomatic and often unexpected pairings and groups of works from our permanent collection. Displayed in conversation with one another, these works have the potential to spark new interpretations and to reveal new meanings to the viewer. In celebration of the KIA’s centennial, the…
Learn more about glass art with Ekin Deniz Aytac and Joshua Davids! A husband-and-wife team of artists hailing from Edremit, Turkey, and Colorado respectively, Aytac and Davids draw from a unique combination of culture, heritage, and experience to develop new works of glass art. They have lived, traveled, and created artwork together since 2014. Aytac…