Unveiling American Genius Symposium

Saturday, April 23, 2022
11:30am-3:30pm

 

Unveiling American Genius attempts to more equitably represent the KIA’s permanent collection and the story of art history with 50% of the works on view being by women or artists of color. This one-day virtual symposium is a wonderful chance to be a part of this conversation with keynote speakers, distinguished professionals, talented artists, and other experts in their fields.

2011_51-Butterfield_TMS
2010_29-Alston_TMS
2018_23-Albizu_TMS
John Stockton de Martelly, Looking at the Sunshine, ca. 1938, egg tempera on linen mounted on board. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Elisabeth Claire Lahti Fund Purchase.
Schedule

11:30am-12:00pm: Welcome 

12:00-1:00pm: A Woman’s Voice: Then and Now?

Throughout the world, women have held and told the stories of their families and communities. Yet, in some cases, their work remains unknown or less recognized in the arts, our history, and other segments of our culture. Dr. Jennifer Richardson, Professor Monique Haley, Dr. Mariam Konaté, and Barber will discuss the roles of these women as it relates to the visual arts, dance, popular culture, identity, and beauty culture.

1:15-2:00pm: The Resonance Music Project: Connecting Music and Art in Unveiling American Genius

As you walk through Unveiling American Genius, listen to the melodies and original scores inspired by individual works of art on view through a partnership with Connecting Chords Music Festival. The Resonance Music Project gave local musicians a chance to connect sound with fine artwork. Hear from musical artists Elizabeth Start, Jordan Hamilton, Laurie Jarski, Monica Washington Padula, and Helen Yee, as they reveal how a work of art can stimulate the creation of a song.

Hear all the songs in the Resonance Music Project

2:15-3:30pm: Panel: The Future of American Art

What is the future of American art? KIA Chief Curator Rehema Barber will speak with renowned artists Tylonn Sawyer and Adia Millett, who both have work on view in Unveiling American Genius. Sawyer juxtaposes themes of identity in his work, investigating race and history in popular culture. He is an American multidisciplinary artist educator and curator whose primary medium is painting. Millett’s art honors the history of domestic craft, abstraction, and architecture while being inspired by afro-futurism, emotional resiliency, and the preservation of our land. Her pieces range from painting, quilting, stained glass, collage, video, sculpture, to installation.

Transition Two by Adia Millett
Adia
Tylonn Sawyer
American Woman (Columbia) by Tylonn Sawyer

Image credits:

  • Deborah Butterfield, Hoku (Untitled.2411), 2001, bronze. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Purchase: Acquired through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
  • Charles Henry Alston, Untitled (Couple), ca. 1945-1950, oil on canvas. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Purchase: Acquired through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
  • Olga Albizu, Untitled, ca. 1965, oil on canvas. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Purchased in memory of David and Muriel Gregg through the generosity of their estate.
  • John Stockton de Martelly, Looking at the Sunshine, ca. 1938, egg tempera on linen mounted on board. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Elisabeth Claire Lahti Fund Purchase.
  • Adia Millett, Transition Two, 2019, acrylic and glitter on panel. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Elisabeth Claire Lahti Fund purchase.
  • Tylonn Sawyer, American Woman: Columbia, 2018, oil on canvas. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Elisabeth Claire Lahti Fund purchase.