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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.

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

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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art presents the exhibition "The World in Kansas City" on view March 6 through August 9, 2026.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Presenting Exhibition "The World in Kansas City"

KMCAPressRelease_WorldinKC_final.pdf

Kansas City, MO – Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art presents the exhibition The World in Kansas City on view March 6 through August 9, 2026. Initially inspired by conversations around the 2026 global soccer tournament (Kansas City will host matches between June 16 and July 11, and is known as the Soccer Capital of America®), this exhibition foregrounds Kansas City’s expansive global context. For hundreds of years, people from different regions of the world have migrated to the region for a variety of reasons—from fleeing upheavals in their homelands to seeking new opportunities. Our artistic community reflects this dynamism, supported by area universities, arts institutions and organizations that draw artists from across the globe. 

The exhibition grew out of the historical role Kansas City's cultural institutions have played in fostering international dialogue. While not intended to represent the entire world, this exhibition recognizes the complexity of diverse histories and narratives. It commemorates Kansas City’s evolving global spirit by featuring artists with global backgrounds who have either established themselves or had meaningful experiences in the city and region.  Encompassing ceramics, painting, AR, photography, sculpture, and time-based media, these artists’ works explore themes related to cultural exchange and convergence, including Heehyun Choi, Hùng Lê, Hugo Romero-Zelada, Paul Anthony Smith, Anna Tsoulharakis; ideas of borders and boundaries, such as Juan Diego Gaucin and César López; to ancestral and familial interconnectedness. 

The exhibition is organized by Jessica S. Hong, Chief Curator, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Explains Hong, “The core themes of the exhibition are interconnectedness and exchange. While celebrating the local, The World in Kansas City foregrounds the ways in which this region has, is, and always will be entwined and engaged with the world around us. Through these artists’ inventive and insightful practices, they remind us of our shared responsibility to nurture and strengthen our collective social fabric.” 

Artists whose work is featured in the exhibition include Heehyun Choi (born in Los Angeles, CA; South Korea), Juan Diego Gaucin (born in Mexico), Hùng Lê (born in Vietnam), Hung Liu (born in China), César López (born in Guatemala), SunYoung Park (born in South Korea), Kiki Serna (born in Mexico), Paul Anthony Smith (born in Jamaica), Akio Takamori (born in Japan), Sumire Skye Taniai (born in Japan), Anna Tsouhlarakis (Navajo Nation, Muscogee Creek, and Greek descent), Mikey Yates (born in Germany), and Hong Chun Zhang (born in China), among others. 


Media inquiries: Allison King, aking@kemperart.org and Meg Blackburn, meg@blackburncreative.com  

Edra Soto is a Puerto Rican-born artist, educator, and co-director of the outdoor project space The Franklin, in Chicago, where she lives. Through architecture and design, Soto’s work invites conversations around socioeconomic and cultural oppression, the erasure of history, and loss of cultural knowledge. Soto has had recent public commissions from the Public Art Fund at the Doris C. Freedman Plaza in Central Park, NY (2024); Noor Riyadh light festival, Saudi Arabia (2024); and Now + There at Central Wharf Park, Boston (2023). Her work is in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Pérez Art Museum, Miami; the Art Institute of Chicago; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.  

Friday, March 6 | 8:30 a.m. | Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (4420 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, MO)

Coffee and pastries will be provided. Please RSVP to communications@kemperart.org by March 5.

The World in Kansas City Member Preview and Curator Conversation 
Thursday, March 5 | 5:30-8:00 p.m. | Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (4420 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri) 
 
Consider joining the museum today! Museum Members are invited to an evening celebrating Kansas City’s global history and creativity with a special Member Preview of The World in Kansas City, featuring a conversation with Chief Curator Jessica S. Hong and Dr. Gene Chávez, Historian in Residence, The Museum of Kansas City. Several of the featured artists will be in attendance, offering conversation and engagement throughout the evening. This event is free for Supporting Members and $15 for Free Members. Everyone is welcome—join as a Free or Supporting Member to attend.

The World in Kansas City: Engaging Programs and Workshops 
In conjunction with the exhibition The World in Kansas City, the Museum offers a dynamic lineup of programs and activities designed to engage visitors with the artists and their work. Visitors can explore a range of creative practices, including drawing, sculpture, collage, figure painting, indigo dyeing, and Chinese ink painting, guided by the exhibition’s featured artists. 

Studio Nights (March 26, April 30, May 28) – Interactive workshops led by Juan Diego Gaucin, SunYoung Park, and Sumire Taniai, exploring drawing, sculpture, and collage. 

Film Screening & Q&A (May 2) – Watch A Motionless Movie by Heehyun Choi and join a discussion with the artist. 

Indigo Dye Workshop (May 16) – Led by Hùng Lê, participants will learn the history and techniques of indigo dyeing in a hands-on session. 

Special Workshops – Engage with memory-based collage with a featured artist (June 6), figure painting with Mikey Yates (June 27), and Chinese ink painting with Hong Zhang (July 25). 

All programs provide opportunities to meet the artists, learn about their creative processes, and make your own art inspired by Kansas City and the exhibition. Registration is encouraged for these limited-capacity experiences. Visit our calendar to register: https://www.kemperart.org/event-calendar. 

Presenting Sponsors Kristen and Dan Fromm; Linda Lighton, Lynn Adkins, and the Lighton Fund; the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. 

Bold. Inclusive. Contemporary. Since 1994, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art has been a creative force in Kansas City and beyond, championing today’s artists and sparking conversations that matter. As Missouri’s first contemporary art museum, Kemper has introduced generations of visitors to the most compelling global voices in modern and contemporary art. Admission is free, thanks to the generosity of supporting members. 

Home to a growing collection of nearly 1,500 works, the museum showcases both established and rising artists, with a strong emphasis on those from historically underrepresented communities. Housed in an iconic building designed by Gunnar Birkerts, Kemper Museum offers an ever-changing mix of exhibitions, installations, and bold new projects, presenting 8 to 10 major shows each year and a robust schedule of events. Its restaurant, Oil on Linen, features an art-inspired menu by Chef Ted Habiger, who is known for his commitment to local farmers and sustainable practices.

Kemper is more than a place to see art. It’s a place to engage. From hands-on family activities and artist talks to community partnerships and thought-provoking exhibitions, the museum’s free public programs invite people of all ages and backgrounds to connect, create, and be inspired. 

Kemper Museum is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, please visit kemperart.org.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Presents the Exhibition  
The World in Kansas City 