Embroidery is an ancient technique of embellishment, with a history in nearly every culture in the world. Within the last 160 years, embroidery began to make a transition from being done exclusively on soft materials, like cloth and leather, to being stitched on paper. Today, there are countless artists across the globe creating amazing works…
It’s common to think that the action required to bring about social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion lies only in the larger systems of government, policy, and institutions. However, naming microaggressions and taking steps to address them are small, but powerful actions to bring about change and increase JEDI. Join us for this ARTbreak, led…
LEGO to the KIA where everything is awesome! We’ll be joined by our friends from Bricks and Minifigs Kalamazoo for an awesome evening of art and engineering. You’ll be faced with unique challenges — can you build a bridge without using blue blocks? Can you find the minifig that matches the portrait in the galleries?…
At this Art Detectives, you’re going to create the story! We will “read” a wordless picture book, Wallpaper by Thao Lam, and decide what is happening together.
Gordon Parks was one of the 20th century’s premier photographers and photojournalists. His work was marked by a keen artistic eye as well as a deep sense of compassion for his subjects. These qualities are on full display in many of his works, including the photograph American Gothic, Washington, D.C., which is part of the…
Hurtling past the downtrodden communities of Depression-era America, painter Val Welch travels westward to the rural town of Dawes, Wyoming. Through a stroke of luck, he’s landed a New Deal assignment to create a mural representing the region for their new Post Office. A wealthy art lover named John Long and his wife Eve have…
Don't miss "Stillness in Motion: Making Sense of the 'Anime Style,'" a talk by Dr. Brian White presented in conjunction with the Sugoi! 200 Years in Japanese Art exhibition! How did anime get its distinctive style? When you think of anime, you probably think of a number of visual hallmarks: dynamic poses, quick movements, and of…
During the final weekend of Sugoi! 200 Years of Japanese Art, the KIA presents a screening of Mamoru Hosada’s critically-acclaimed film Mirai. Nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe, and an official selection at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, Mirai tells the story of love passed down through generations. Four-year-old Kun battles feelings of…
Trevor Grabill is a printmaker and teacher in Kalamazoo, and an instructor at the Kirk Newman Art School. Their woodblock and linocut prints depict the strangeness, beauty, and sadness of small towns and natural spaces in the Upper Midwest. They are fascinated by gardens, bus stops, side streets, parking lots, front porches, and other spaces…