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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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(First row, left to right) Installation view, Lucía Vidales: Hambre, September 20, 2024 - September 7, 2025, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2024; Installation view, Sarah Zapata: So the roots be known, August 18, 2023–July 28, 2024, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: E.G. Schempf, 2023; Installation view, Aliza Nisenbaum: Aquí Se Puede (Here You Can), August 21, 2021–July 31, 2022, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2021.

(Second row, left to right) Installation view, Pepe Mar: Rising Sun, August 19, 2022 - July 30, 2023, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2022; Joiri Minaya, Away from prying eyes, 2020, archival pigment print on paper, 41½ x 61½ inches. © Art and photo courtesy of the artist; Angel Otero, Diario, 2019, oil skins on fabric with wire and found objects, approximately 168 x 168 x 7 inches. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2019

(Third row, left to right) Firelei Báez, To See Beyond Its Walls (and access the places that lie beyond), 2017, installation view, Bebe and Crosby Kemper Collection, Museum purchase made possible by a gift from the R. C. Kemper Charitable Trust, 2017.7.1. © Firelai Báez, courtesy Wendi Norris Gallery; Paul Henry Ramirez (American, born 1963), Sweet On (detail), site-specific installation, acrylic on canvas, wall mural, and stained glass mural. Courtesy of the artist and RYAN LEE, New York © Paul Henry Ramirez, Photo: E.G. Schempf, 2018

In Fall 2025, The Atrium Project: 10 Years, 10 Stories will mark the initiative’s 10th anniversary with an exhibition featuring all participating artists—several represented in the Kemper Museum’s collection.

The Atrium Project: 10 Years, 10 Stories

Launched in 2016 by then–Kemper Museum Curator Erin Dziedzic, the Atrium Project was created as a platform for emerging and mid-career Hispanic and Latinx artists. Each year, one artist has been invited to create a site-responsive work for the Museum’s central atrium, activating a large, prominent convening space with bold new directions in subject or scale.  

Developed over the course of a year, each commission begins with an artist’s visit to Kansas City—an experience that often subtly informs the final work. The series provides space for experimentation, storytelling, and reflection, grounded in both personal vision and place.  

To mark the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Atrium Project, this exhibition brings together for the first time work by the nine previous participating artists: José Lerma (2016–17), Firelei Báez (2017–18), Paul Henry Ramirez (2018–19), Angel Otero (2019–20), Joiri Minaya (2020–21), Aliza Nisenbaum (2021–22), Pepe Mar (2022–23), Sarah Zapata (2023–24), and Lucía Vidales (2024–25), with Edra Soto’s commission debuting in 2026.  

Across these projects, shared themes emerge: gathering as spiritual and social act; tracing layered histories; and exploring material, memory, and identity through personal and communal lenses. The Atrium Project: 10 Years, 10 Stories celebrates a decade of artistic innovation and the Museum’s ongoing commitment to supporting artists at pivotal moments in their careers, while looking ahead to what comes next. 

Organized by Jessica S. Hong, Chief Curator, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art 

Join us at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art as we celebrate two landmark exhibitions opening for the Fall.

Fall Exhibitions Opening Celebration

Exhibitions are always free thanks to the generosity of members and other donors. Join or donate today to support free access to contemporary art.

(First row, left to right) Installation view, Lucía Vidales: Hambre, September 20, 2024 - September 7, 2025, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2024; Installation view, Sarah Zapata: So the roots be known, August 18, 2023–July 28, 2024, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: E.G. Schempf, 2023; Installation view, Pepe Mar: Rising Sun, August 19, 2022 - July 30, 2023, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2022.

(Second row, left to right)  Installation view, Aliza Nisenbaum: Aquí Se Puede (Here You Can), August 21, 2021–July 31, 2022, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2021; Joiri Minaya, Away from prying eyes, 2020, archival pigment print on paper, 41½ x 61½ inches. © Art and photo courtesy of the artist; Angel Otero, Diario, 2019, oil skins on fabric with wire and found objects, approximately 168 x 168 x 7 inches. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2019

(Third row, left to right) Firelei Báez, To See Beyond Its Walls (and access the places that lie beyond), 2017, installation view, Bebe and Crosby Kemper Collection, Museum purchase made possible by a gift from the R. C. Kemper Charitable Trust, 2017.7.1. © Firelai Báez, courtesy Wendi Norris Gallery; Paul Henry Ramirez (American, born 1963), Sweet On (detail), site-specific installation, acrylic on canvas, wall mural, and stained glass mural. Courtesy of the artist and RYAN LEE, New York © Paul Henry Ramirez, Photo: E.G. Schempf, 2018; Installation view, José Lerma: La Venida Cansa Sin Ti, 2016, Atrium, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. 