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Event Category: Book Discussions

Silent Book Club

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

Join us for quiet reading time in the galleries. We will provide seating and space to kick back and read a book. Bring your own book or check something out from the Meader Fine Arts Library!

Book Discussion: Self-Portrait with Nothing

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

by Aimee Pokwatka Pepper Rafferty has a very straightforward life. She’s a forensic anthropologist, who is married to her historian husband, Ike and helps out at her moms’ veterinary clinic. Her daily life has a routine. When Pepper discovers she is connected to the famous reclusive artist Ula Frost whose paintings are rumored to transport…

Silent Book Club

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

Join us for quiet reading time in the galleries. We will provide seating and space to kick back and read a book. Bring your own book or check something out from the Meader Fine Arts Library!

Silent Book Club

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

Join us for quiet reading time in the galleries. We will provide seating and space to kick back and read a book. Bring your own book or check something out from the Meader Fine Arts Library!

Book Discussion: The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

by Olivia Laing When author Olivia Laing moves to New York City in her mid-thirties for a relationship that ultimately ended, she finds herself profoundly alone. Seeking comfort in art, Laing ruminates on the intersection of solitude and art, examining the lives and works of several artists who grappled with isolation and used it as…

Book Discussion: Ain’t Burned All the Bright

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin Author Jason Reynolds, in collaboration with artist Jason Griffin, creates a timely and evocative art/text mashup.  Centering around the theme of breathing, the creators explore the Black experience in America, the COVID-19 pandemic, and social justice. Using mixed-media art combined with powerful poetry, readers experience this turbulent chapter in…

Book Discussion: All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

by Patrick Bringley Patrick Bringley’s memoir offers an intimate look at his decade-long career as a museum guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Through his experiences, Bringley explores themes of art, beauty, loss, and the human connection to creative expression.The memoir provides a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's…

Book Discussion: The Samurai’s Garden

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

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…

Book Discussion: The Friday Night Club: A Novel of Artist Hilma af Klint and Her Creative Circle

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

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…

Book Discussion: Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey Among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

by Bianca Bosker Bianca Bosker takes a deep dive into the art world, examining the way we see and experience art in this funny and gripping memoir. Bosker investigates how and why art takes hold of our senses and even our person in such different and profound ways, looking at perspectives from gallerists, collectors, curators,…

Book Discussion: Black Indian: A Memoir

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

by Shonda Buchanan This powerful, deeply personal narrative explores Buchanan’s complex identity. She reflects on the trauma, resilience, and strength passed down through generations, as well as the tensions and misunderstandings she encountered due to her mixed heritage. Throughout, she weaves in stories of her ancestors, shedding light on the hidden and painful history of…

Book Discussion: Solito: A Memoir

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI, United States

by Javier Zamora This poignant memoir recalls Zamora's harrowing journey from El Salvador to the United States, making the dangerous trek alone at nine years old. Zamora reflects on the emotional toll of being separated from his family as well as fear of the unknown. Solito is a raw and powerful exploration of the immigrant…