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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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Barbara Earl Thomas

In a play of positive and negative space, a smiling Black man wearing a suit jacket, sneakers, two pocket squares, and a flashy ring is revealed through precisely cut black paper over a background of other gradated colors. The figure’s abstracted environment, with flitting hummingbirds and banners reading “Royal Blue,” evokes a dream-like scene. The luminous contrast between vibrant oranges and turquoises behind the black silhouette could reference the stained-glass windows of Gothic cathedrals. Additionally, Barbara Earl Thomas’s frequently used hummingbird motif indicates motion or change to the artist. This imagery invites the viewer to create their own narrative around the artwork, which Thomas actively encourages. In her words, “I don’t expect the viewer’s experience to be about me. When they experience feelings that connect emotions or their own narrative, I think I’ve done something.”

MA Student in Art History, University of Kansas

Royal Blue

Royal Blue, 2021Barbara Earl Thomas