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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art acknowledges it resides on the ancestral territory of the Osage, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria, among other tribal nations forcibly moved to the region such as the Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) nations. We recognize and support the continued vibrancy of Native communities and cultures today who continue to thrive, as well as the inherent sovereignty of tribal nations. We are compelled to serve and advocate for these communities in accordance with our public mission.

Kemper Museum acknowledges and respects the diversity of Native people connected to this land today. Many recognize the land and all beings who live within it as relatives. We acknowledge the earth we inhabit, the waters of the Blue River, the Kansas River, the Missouri River, and the plants, animals, and people supported by them. 

We acknowledge our responsibility to be good caretakers of the land we occupy. 

Click here to learn more about our land acknowledgment process.

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Robert Motherwell

In Bordeaux Summer, Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell places a Latour wine label roughly center, atop layers of tan paper, as the focus of the mixed media artwork.

Below the wine label, a horizontal charcoal line demarcates the upper and lower registers, extended through flanking slivers of white space. The upper register, dominated by bright blue turquoise paint, elements of collage, and smaller accents in terra cotta and black paint evokes a cloudless sunny day. The lower register, however, is saturated with an earthy terra cotta color, save for a saucer-shape of bare paper sectioned by vertical lines and paint. Following the Surrealist-inspired technique of automatism that allows for an initial period of spontaneous, passionate action, followed by a refinement to tighten the composition, Motherwell reminds the viewer that even the banality of daily life, such as enjoying a nice glass of French wine, can be elevated to art.

Angela K. Rouse
MA Student in Art History, University of Kansas
Fall 2025

Bebe and Crosby Kemper Collection

Bordeaux Summer

Bordeaux Summer, 1973Robert Motherwell