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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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Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene

The first major exhibition to examine the Anthropocene through the lens of contemporary photography, comprised of 45 photo-based artists working in a variety of artistic methods from studios and sites across the globe, Second Nature explores the complexities of this proposed new age.

Second Nature

The first major exhibition to examine the Anthropocene through the lens of contemporary photography, comprised of 43 photo-based artists working in a variety of artistic methods from studios and sites across the globe, Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene explores the complexities of this proposed new age. Collectively, these artists offer compelling visual imagery necessary for picturing the Anthropocene: aerial views of beautiful but toxic sites, collages that incorporate archival photographs to counter colonial narratives, depictions of urbanism on an unimaginable scale, and imagined yet precarious futures. In doing so, they address urgent issues such as vanishing ice, rising waters, and increasing resource extraction, as well as the deeply rooted and painful legacies of colonialism, forced climate migration, and socio-environmental trauma. 

The exhibition is organized by the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina and the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, The Trustees of Reservations, Lincoln, Massachusetts. The exhibition is curated by Jessica May, Executive Director, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, and Marshall N. Price, Chief Curator and Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. A traveling exhibition, Second Nature has been shown at the Nasher Museum (August 2024 – January 2025), Cantor Arts Center at Stanford (February – August 2025), and the Anchorage Museum (October 2025 – April 2026).

Featured Artworks

"Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene" Member Preview

Book Club: The Anthropocene Reviewed

Executive Director of Kemper Museum, Jessica May and President of Linda Hall Library, Eric Dorfman lead a participatory tour of the exhibition: Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene.

Beyond the Library: Eric Dorfman & Jessica May on the Age of the Anthropocene

Plug into a uniquely layered silent concert experience. Featuring live instrumentation mixed with natural sound and global city noise, enter a soundscape inspired by Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene.

Silent Concert: Sound & Nature

Join Executive Director and Curator Jessica May for a casual gallery talk focused on Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene, and stay for lunch at the museum's restaurant, Oil on Linen.

Director as Curator: Gallery Spotlight

Presented by Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts; Commerce Bank, n.a., trustee; Scott Francis, Francis Family Foundation; J. Peter Gattermier; Karen and Jack Holland; Mary Kemper Wolf and Gary Wolf

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

Gohar Dashti, Untitled #2 from the series Home, 2017. Archival digital pigment print, artist’s proof 1/2, 31 3/8 x 47 3/16 inches (80 x 120 cm). Courtesy of the artist. © Gohar Dashti.