KRANNERT ART MUSEUM 2026 – 2027
Krannert Art Museum University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Fine and Applied Arts 500 East Peabody Drive Champaign, IL 61820 217 244 0745 kam.illinois.edu
Free and open to everyone! Accessibility We welcome visitors of all abilities. Accessible parking, wheelchairs, and seated walkers are available. Find out more at kam.illinois.edu/access.
Hours Tuesday–Friday 10–5 Saturday 10–4 Thursday until 8 pm, when class is in session
Cover: Detail, Yao Jui-Chung, Land is Wealth: Money God, 2025. India handmade paper, Pitt artist pen, and gold leaf. 77 × 120 inches (4-panel screen). Courtesy of the artist. © Yao Jui-Chung.
Parking Parking nearby is free after 5 pm and on weekends. A parking lot is available next to the museum at Sixth and Peabody, along with street parking. Parking spots on campus are set up for payment using the MobileMeter app.
Above: NEW ACQUISITION. Roger Brown, Family Tree of Mourning, 1987. Color woodcut, 11 x 14 inches. Gift of the Roger Brown Estate, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2026-9-2. © Estate of Roger Brown.
To request this publication in an alternative format, please contact us at kam@illinois.edu.
Krannert Art Museum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
Contents
2026 – 2027
2 From the Director
Exhibitions
Events and Features
4 Centering Clay: Connection and Innovation in American Studio Ceramics August 27–December 23, 2026
14
Event Highlights
18
Donor Spotlight
6 In Search of a Future October 8, 2026–May 15, 2027 7 Stitching Ecologies: Urbana-Champaign Satellite Crochet Coral Reef On view through October 24, 2026 7 Rest Lab 10: Path August 25–October 3, 2026 8 Ink Shower: Contemporary Taiwanese Artists Reimagine Tradition November 5, 2026–February 27, 2027 10 Degrees of Archive: contemporary art and the shape of history February 4–July 3, 2027 12 Collection Galleries 12 Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibitions | School of Art & Design Students April 10–24 and May 8–15, 2027 13 Traveling Exhibitions: Pressing Issues to Wisconsin and Millie Wilson to California
20 Student Spotlights 22 Partnering with Rural Schools 24 New Acquisitions 26 Partners and Friends
From the Director Welcome! Since joining Krannert Art Museum as director in late May, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside the museum’s wonderful team as we prepare for the 2026–2027 academic year. As you’ll see on the following pages, this promises to be another vibrant year at the museum. There’s so much to experience! The museum is free of charge and open to all. We look forward to welcoming you— again and again.
Photo: Della Perrone.
This year, Krannert Art Museum’s exhibitions and collection displays invite you to travel across time and place. They encourage you to pay attention to patterns of cross-cultural exchange, to consider the many ways that artists find inspiration and purpose, and to celebrate the power of creative communities. Each of these projects was either created or co-created by the museum’s staff, originating in research and relationships that stretch across and far beyond the University of Illinois campus. The museum’s events, too, are portals. Each one offers a new chance to connect with art, ideas, and each other. From opening nights to gallery talks, scholarly lectures to hands-on workshops, you’ll find something for curious minds of all ages.
R: We welcomed hundreds of community members to celebrate the opening of Another Place: Storymaking the Entangled Prairie, including exhibiting artist and School of Art & Design faculty member Nekita Thomas (in green). Her artwork is visible on the wall behind her. The sculpture in the foreground is by Stephen Signa-Avilés, who teaches in the Studio Art program. Photo: Fred Zwicky.
Alongside education initiatives, this edition of the magazine spotlights wonderful University of Illinois students: two of the many young people who work with the museum every year. Whether class visits, social events, internships, or as employees, these experiences can be transformative. I’ve already heard from people across the country who love this place and are eager to share stories about how Krannert Art Museum opened pathways to art and the world that they hadn’t imagined and wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. I’ve also been moved by the generosity and passion of many other people who care deeply about the museum. We honor and thank our many collaborators, partners, and all who support the museum through financial support, expertise, and/or talent. We value your voices, your time, your energy, and your presence. Thank you for being part of the Krannert Art Museum.
Stephanie Smith Director
the Director· 3 ·3 LOOKINGFrom AHEAD
Centering Clay Connection and Innovation in American Studio Ceramics August 27 – December 23, 2026 MAIN LEVEL | FRED & DONNA GIERTZ GALLERY, LIGHT COURT GALLERY
American Studio Ceramics has come to designate a period, roughly from the 1940s through the 1970s, when individual potters shifted from factory production to the personal studio. In this postwar period, artists advanced the ceramics field in various ways: conveying unique artistic vision; exploring materials through experimentation of techniques and glazes; and pushing beyond traditional forms, ranging from the utilitarian to the abstract and conceptual. Ceramics became a platform for self-expression where function was optional. During the 1940s, ceramics, and craft in general, became integrated not only into higher education, but into museums and art centers as well through exhibitions and acquisitions. Pioneering support by philanthropists, such as Aileen Osborn Webb, proved crucial to the field, as well as financial aid from the federal government in the GI Bill, which provided educational funding for veterans returning from WWII. An engagement with ceramics was found to be beneficial in rehabilitation and therapy, helping veterans to process trauma, build community, and express themselves creatively. An artistic ecosystem developed in the 1950s and 1960s, when academic programs, artist residencies, and regional workshops centering on craft and ceramics emerged throughout the country, with major centers of activity on the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast. Specialized journals reported on progress and achievements,
highlighting emerging and experienced artists to new audiences. The United States became fertile ground for innovative advancements in production, dissemination, and promotion of many art media, including ceramics. The exhibition does not present an exhaustive account of midcentury potters and their wares. Instead, Centering Clay explores this revolutionary period by constructing connections between the artists and their works, foregrounding the free exchange of creative ideas. Utilizing archival materials and a section on the Festival of Contemporary Arts, a series of events that brought visionary creatives to campus, the exhibition positions the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign within the larger historical narrative of studio ceramics. Centering Clay features works from the museum’s collection. A selection of artists includes Katherine Choy, Richard DeVore, Donald Frith, Vivika and Otto Heino, Marvin Lipofsky, Gertrud and Otto Natzler, Don Pilcher, Jerry Rothman, and Peter Voulkos. n Centering Clay events include an opening reception, tours, and workshops. See pages 14–17. For updates, visit kam.illinois.edu/events. Curated by Kathryn Koca Polite, Assistant Curator, with research assistance from curatorial assistant Rachel Gu. Krannert Art Museum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
Above: Jerry Rothman, Sky Pot, 1961. Stoneware. 26 x 13-1/2 x 6-1/2 inches. Museum Purchase through the Festival of Arts Purchase Fund, 1963-50-1. © Jerry Rothman. R: NEW ACQUISITION Marvin Lipofsky, Untitled, 1964. Stoneware, 35 x 21-1/2 x 11-1/2 inches. Gift of The Marvin Lipofsky Studio, 2026-8-1. © Marvin Lipofsky Studio. Photo: Marvin Lipofsky Studio.
44· Exhibitions
Exhibitions · 5
In Search of a Future October 8, 2026–May 15, 2027 MAIN LEVEL | CONTEMPORARY GALLERY
In Search of a Future gathers a selection of work from Krannert Art Museum’s collection to consider how artists have approached moments of distress and turmoil in both subtle and overt critiques of power structures, military interventions, human rights violations, and capitalist greed. The exhibition’s title comes from George Wald, Nobel Laureate and biologist, who delivered a speech in 1969 that condemned nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War, both of which were existential threats that he found particularly detrimental to the younger generation. His words inspired artist Mary Cady Johnson (BFA ’35) to create
a suite of prints featured in the exhibition. There are strong parallels between our current moment of upheaval with historical precedents, specifically economic anxiety, political polarization, and the rise in and push back against authoritarianism. While the exhibition does not offer answers, it intends to provide a contemplative space for reflection and dialogue. The artists in this installation—Michael Ashenbrenner, Leonard Baskin, Ben Blount, Roger Brown, Vernon Fisher, Leon Golub, Mary Cady Johnson, William Kentridge, Annette Lemieux, Emmy Lingscheit, Alejandro Lugo, Guen Montgomery, Maryam Safajoo—
produced critical works of art that rose to their particular moment, in hope of better, more equitable futures. n In Search of a Future events include tours and class visits. See pages 14–17. For updates, visit kam.illinois.edu/ events. Curated by Kathryn Koca Polite, Assistant Curator. Krannert Art Museum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
Mary Cady Johnson, Words of George Wald, Biologist, Nobel Laureate, Professor at Harvard, Spoken Extemporaneously at MIT, Mar. 4, 1969 on “A Generation in Search of a Future,” Page 1, 1969. Serigraph, 36 x 24 inches. Gift of the artist, 1971-3-1.2. © Mary Cady Johnson.
L: Vernon Fisher, Man Cutting Globe, 1992. Acrylic on paper, 30 x 28-5/8 inches. Gift of the Ansley I. Graham Trust, 1994-6-2. © Vernon Fisher.
6 · Exhibitions
Stitching Ecologies Urbana-Champaign Satellite Crochet Coral Reef
ALSO ON VIEW
On view through October 24, 2026 LOWER LEVEL | HOOD CLASSROOM GALLERY
The Urbana-Champaign Satellite Reef is part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef project, created by Christine Wertheim and Margaret Wertheim through the Institute For Figuring. This global, community-driven work brings together art, science, and mathematics to reflect on the beauty—and vulnerability—of coral reef ecosystems. This local reef has been shaped by many hands. Originally developed at the height of the covid-19 pandemic through the University of Illinois’s School of Art & Design, in partnership with the Grainger College of Engineering, the project invited students, artists, scientists, and community members to learn hyperbolic crochet and contribute handmade forms. Each piece carries the imprint of its maker, coming together as a collective environment grounded in care, creativity, and shared inquiry. As part of a global network of Satellite Reefs, this installation connects Urbana-Champaign to a wider community engaged in creative
responses to environmental change. Throughout the exhibition, visitors can explore documentation of past workshops and talks, and consider how collective making can foster connection, learning, and support in the face of ecological uncertainty. n Stitching Ecologies events include workshops and family fun. See pages 14–17. For updates, visit kam.illinois.edu /events. Made possible with support from School of Art & Design faculty members, Jennifer Bergmark, Assistant Professor of Art Education, and Guen Montgomery, Assistant Professor of Studio Art; Grainger College of Engineering faculty and staff, Amy Wagoner Johnson, Professor and Andersen Faculty Scholar, Rosa Espinosa Marzal, Ivan Racheff Professor and Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Scholar, Rachel Berry, Taylor Parks, and Julia Park; Krannert Art Museum staff, Rachel Lauren Storm, Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Learning, and Kamila Glowacki, Assistant Curator of Community Engagement and Learning; and the Illinois Arts Council.
Photo: Ishita Dharap.
Rest Lab 10: Path August 25–October 3, 2026 MAIN LEVEL | EAST GALLERY
Rest Lab 10: Path explores movement as a form of reflection and rest. A winding path invites visitors to explore the meditative and therapeutic potential of movement through their own pace and sensory experience. Supported by soft furnishings, sensory tools, and a sound library, the installation encourages multiple ways of navigating through activity and stillness. Rather than moving towards a destination, Rest Lab 10: Path foregrounds the experience of moving itself, proposing rest as an active and adaptive process shaped by bodies, environments, and individual needs. Rest Lab is a creative, experimental series that invites resting with intention. In the museum, Rest Lab has occupied spaces that otherwise would remain empty as they “rest” between exhibitions. Creating spaces that resist the demands for productivity, urgency, and overexertion, Rest Lab invites visitors to slow down. n Rest Lab 10: Path events include a welcome festival for students. See pages 14–17. For updates, visit kam .illinois.edu/events. Curated by Kamila Glowacki, Assistant Curator of Community Engagement and Learning, and Ishita Dharap, Artist and Educator. Krannert Art Museum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
Installation detail. Photo courtesy of the Urbana-Champaign Satellite Coral Reef Project.
SECTION · 7· 7 Exhibitions
Ink Shower Contemporary Taiwanese Artists Reimagine Tradition November 5, 2026 – February 27, 2027 MAIN LEVEL | EAST GALLERY
For more than a thousand years, ink painting has been a venerable practice, conveying people’s deepest beliefs and highest aspirations. Ink art has expressed complex, evolving ideas about aesthetics, spirituality, and the nature of the human condition. In today’s world, the range of visual and cultural concerns at the heart of ink art—developed into a major artistic tradition in China during the Tang dynasty (618–907)—now informs a wide range of art, including painting, sculpture, video, photography, animation, and more. Ink Shower focuses on dynamic works of art in this vein produced by twelve Taiwanese artists. While the cultural fabric of Taiwan has been shaped by waves of colonialism, modernization, and globalization, the tradition of ink art in Taiwan has never been a mere continuation of history. Instead, it has evolved through a process of cultural bricolage—appropriating and transforming elements to create new meanings.
Rooted in the genealogy of Chinese ink traditions, ink art in Taiwan has been deeply intertwined with local artistic developments since the mid-twentieth century. Over time, the singular path of “ink as tradition” has been gradually dismantled through movements such as modern ink painting, nativist realism, and conceptual art. Taiwanese artists have come to regard ink not merely as a medium, but as a conceptual device and cultural signifier—shifting from medium to spirit, and from spirit to a renewed engagement with diverse media. Ink Shower does not assert a direct narrative. Rather, it adopts an oblique, mobile, and peripheral strategy—entering from the margins, unfolding from dim light, and transforming “ink” into a cultural tool for understanding identity, reimagining history, and envisioning the future. Situating “ink” as a mixture of aesthetic and cultural concerns rather than simply a medium, the exhibition incorporates a range of media to celebrate several
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
We are excited to welcome exhibiting artist Yao Jui-Chung for a weeklong residency (November 3–7). Yao lives and works in Taipei, Taiwan, and has exhibited his paintings, photographs, and sculptures worldwide, including at the Venice Biennale. While on campus, he will meet with students, join a panel discussion with Ink Shower artists and curators, and speak as part of the MillerComm Lecture Series, sponsored by the Center for Advanced Study. Yao Jui-Chung’s visit is the result of a collaboration between Krannert Art Museum and the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Illinois.
Yao Jui-Chung, Land is Wealth: Money God, 2025. India handmade paper, Pitt artist pen, and gold leaf. 77 × 120 inches (4-panel screen). Courtesy of the artist. © Yao Jui-Chung.
88 · Exhibitions
distinctively Taiwanese contributions to this enduring and malleable tradition. Featured artists include Lee An-Cheng, Agi Chen, Wu Chi-Tsung, Hua ChienChiang, Cheng Chung-Hsiao, Chen Chun-Hao, Lin Chun-Pin, Lin Chun-Ting, Yao Jui-Chung, Lee Ming, Wu Tsan-Cheng, and Chien Yu-Jen. n Ink Shower events include an opening reception, panel discussion, and concert of music by Taiwanese composers. See pages 14–17. For updates, visit kam.illinois.edu/events. Curated by Kai-Ching Hsiao, PhD Candidate, Department of Art History and Art Criticism, Tainan National University of the Arts, and Maureen Warren, Curator of European and American Art, Krannert Art Museum. Produced in collaboration with the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Illinois, with special thanks to Director Matt Winters and Associate Director Yuchia Chang. Ink Shower is organized by InART Space and Krannert Art Museum. Advised by Jamie Tu, Rita Chang, Chien-Hui Kao, Yu-Chia Chang. Made possible with grant support from the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan; the Center for Advanced Study MillerComm Lecture Series; and the Illinois Arts Council. Additional funding is provided by the J. Fred and Donna Giertz Exhibition Support Fund.
Lin Chun-Pin, Underwater Snow Scene: Winter Forest and His Van Gogh Zoo, 2020. Model parts, mixed media. 32-3/4 x 40-1/2 x 8-3/4. Courtesy of the artist. © Lin Chun-Pin.
Exhibitions · 9
Degrees of Archive contemporary art and the shape of history February 4–July 3, 2027 MAIN LEVEL | FRED & DONNA GIERTZ GALLERY, LIGHT COURT GALLERY
This exhibition brings together four visual artists and a choreographer whose works offer remarkable methods for engaging history. Each artist tells history—or suggests historical content and the past—not only through evidence and straightforward narrative, but by heavily reworking their source materials to such a degree that they become condensed, dramatically expanded, or referenced in exquisite, curious, or missing objects. These artists’ practices involve language (many are also poets and writers) and entail close attention to materials and form. While photography holds a special relationship for artists who draw from archives, this exhibition also encompasses sculpture, installation, and choreography as simultaneously specific and expansive fields in conversation with one another.
Degrees of Archive encompasses these artists’ research-driven practices conducted over several years. They reckon with intergenerational settler colonialism, theorize and practice Black and queer tactics of refusal and assembly, and embrace the complicated yet playful role of the artist as author and performer. The works on view are often modular and scalable, ready to be adapted for other venues or presented for a specific duration. Unapologetically conceptual and ambitious in scope, these works take up Haitian American scholar Michel-Rolph Trouillot’s provocative description that “archives assemble”—that is, the stuff of history is not passive; but instead gathers us as thinkers and actors in the worlds we want to craft together.
Featuring works by Anna Campbell, Devin T. Mays, Tere O’Connor, Jadine Pluecker, and Charisse Pearlina Weston. Degrees of Archive is part one of contemporary art and the shape of history, a multiyear series of exhibitions, curatorial research seminars, and performances about contemporary artists engaging history and their calls for historical reckoning in the present and future. n Degrees of Archive events include artist visits, performances, and an opening reception. See pages 14–17. For updates, visit kam.illinois.edu/events. Curated by Amy L. Powell, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, with research assistance from curatorial interns Sheenjini Ghosh and Brooke Zhang. Made possible through the Krannert Art Museum Initiatives Fund, the J. Fred and Donna Giertz Exhibition Support Fund, the James and Beth Armsey Fund for the Support of the Krannert Art Museum and the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the James W. Armsey and Beth L. Armsey Fund for the Support of the Library and the Krannert Art Museum, Campus Arts Research in the Office for Arts Integration, the Frances P. Rohlen Fund, and the School of Art & Design Visitor Series.
Tere O’Connor presented the world premiere of The Lace at New York Live Arts in 2025. Photo: Maria Baranova.
10 10· Exhibitions
Charisse Pearlina Weston, this present world of fact (when the hymn clock disjoints its own time), 2022. Slumped glass, photographic decals, etched text, and high fire enamel. 24-1/2 × 29-1/2 × 10 inches. Courtesy of the artist, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York, and Patron Gallery, Chicago. © Charisse Pearlina Weston.
SECTION Exhibitions· 11 · 11
Collection Galleries
School of Art & Design
MAIN LEVEL
Master of Fine Arts Exhibition
Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition
April 10– 24, 2027
May 8 – 15, 2027
This annual exhibition of work by graduate students in the School of Art & Design at Illinois includes Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Photography, Sculpture, Studio Art, and the school’s newest program, Design for Responsible Innovation.
This annual exhibition featuring 100+ graduating seniors demonstrates the School of Art & Design’s commitment to excellence and innovation in the practice, study, and teaching of the arts, and confirms the advantages of professional studio programs taught in conjunction with the interdisciplinary resources of a leading research university.
American and European Art | Bow Gallery. Considers how art accrues and changes meaning over time through paintings and sculpture from the 1500s to 1900s. Art Since 1948 | Rosann Gelvin Noel Gallery. Explores formal and conceptual connections within thematic groupings featuring painting, sculpture, and works on paper. Encounters: The Arts of Global Africa | Shares stories of encounter that highlight the social contexts and often fraught histories through which African works of art have journeyed.
MAIN LEVEL | EAST GALLERY
n School of Art & Design exhibition events include opening receptions and class visits. See pages 14–17. For updates, visit kam.illinois.edu/events.
European Art Before 1940 | Merle J. and Emily N. Trees Gallery. Features medieval, Renaissance, and nineteenth-century art, centered on a foundational collection donated by the Trees family. LOWER LEVEL
Ancient Mediterranean | Features art from ancient Iranian, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian collections, with strengths in Roman sculpture and Greek pottery. Fragmented Histories: Andean Art Before 1600 | Considers transcultural interactions that move aesthetic ideas across time and place, and foregrounds the destructive histories of looting Andean objects from their resting places in Peru. Well-Designed Beauty: Trade, Technology, and Decorative Arts | Harlan E. and Theresa E. Moore Decorative Arts Gallery. Explores the global exchange of tastes and technologies through decorative arts including glass, ceramics, and sculpture from the 1700s to 2000s.
Top: Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition opening reception. Photo: Peter Mortensen. Below: Installation by Samantha Jones (MFA ’26) in the Master of Fine Arts Exhibition. Photo: Evelyn C. Shapiro.
1212· Exhibitions
Traveling Exhibitions Pressing Issues: Printmaking as Social Justice in 1930s United States On view at the Chazen Museum of Art at the University of Wisconsin– Madison, from September 8 to December 13, 2026. n Pressing Issues debuted at Krannert Art Museum in October 2020 during the covid-19 pandemic. Curated by Kathryn Koca Polite, the exhibition brings together work by artists who produced radical critical commentaries on the social injustices plaguing the country in their time, exploring labor unrest, discrimination and racial violence, and reactions to the rise of fascism. It has also traveled to Weisman Art Museum at University of Minnesota (2021), and Rollins Museum of Art at Rollins College (2023).
Krannert Art Museum’s Curatorial Internship Program provides undergraduate and graduate students with a multifaceted “behind the scenes” experience in curatorial practice.
Chet La More, Civilians, ca. 1937. Lithograph, 13-1/2 × 17-1/2 inches. Allocated by the US Government, Commissioned through the New Deal art project, 1943-4-231.
Millie Wilson: The Museum of Lesbian Dreams On view at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State Los Angeles, from October 24, 2026, to April 10, 2027. n Organized by guest curator David Evans Frantz with Amy L. Powell, Millie Wilson: The Museum of Lesbian Dreams premiered at Krannert Art Museum in August 2024 and is accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue. It is the first retrospective showcasing three decades of Wilson’s work. Her art and teaching examine feminism, queerness, and the historical erasure of marginalized narratives by institutions of art, raising sharp criticisms of institutional authority, art historical canons, and Freudian sexology. Wilson taught generations of artists at the California Institute of the Arts (following a brief stint teaching at the University of Illinois School of Art & Design). Curator Aaron Gomez is organizing the Los Angeles exhibition, providing a new context for Wilson’s substantial works, influence, and legacy.
Curatorial Internship Program
Published by Krannert Art Museum and Inventory Press, the catalogue is available from D.A.P./Artbook ($45) and was recently awarded a Bronze Medal at the Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards.
Working alongside a curatorial supervisor, while also collaborating across museum departments, interns assist with projects that involve them in nearly all phases of exhibition making, such as concept development, research, compiling checklists, installation layout, label writing, and attention to audience diversity and accessibility needs. Students may also take a deep dive into the museum collection, conducting research on individual works of art, and preparing reports for proposed acquisitions. More broadly, we urge students to situate their work at the museum within the broader history of museums, and to think critically about content creation, the stories exhibitions tell, and the audiences we aim to engage. Over the years, dozens of students have made invaluable contributions to museum projects, not only through their assigned tasks, but with the ideas they offer and questions they pose. In turn, students develop skills that prepare them to explore multiple future paths—not only in museums, but across a spectrum of careers in the arts, humanities, and social engagement. —Allyson Purpura, Senior Curator and Curator of Global African Art
Millie Wilson, Red Top, 1992. Flocked cardboard profile, wood shelf, and enamel paint. Photo: Taryn Mills Photography. Courtesy of the artist. © Millie Wilson.
For information on internship programs at Krannert Art Museum, visit kam.illinois .edu/internship.
Exhibitions · 13· 13 Exhibitions
Event Highlights
Celebrations Receptions · Gatherings · Openings Aug 25 · 10 am–5 pm Opening Day | Rest Lab 10: Path Aug 25 · 12–3:30 pm KAM Fest! Calling all new and returning students: Kick off the school year and celebrate at KAM Fest. Visit the museum to receive a free welcome kit and enjoy fun activities led by local artists. From 12–2 pm, food will be available for purchase at food trucks parked in front of the museum. For U of I students. Aug 26 · 5 pm Members’ Reception + Meet the Director Meet the museum’s new director Stephanie Smith and preview Centering Clay at a special evening for members. RSVP required.
Students explore immersive video art by Matt Harsh at KAM Fest. Photo: Fred Zwicky.
Aug 27 · 5–7:30 pm Opening Night at the Museum! Celebrate the start of the semester— and staying open late on Thursdays. Exhibitions on view include Centering Clay and Memorias de la Mujer Lotina. Free and open to everyone!
Sep 22 · 10:30 am–12 pm Café Conversation with Director Stephanie Smith Stop by and share your thoughts about Krannert Art Museum with our new director. Oct 8 · 10 am–8 pm Opening Day | In Search of a Future Nov 5 · 5–7:30 pm Opening Reception | Ink Shower Celebrate Ink Shower and meet Taiwan-based curator Kai-Ching Hsiao and artist Yao Jui-Chung. Feb 4 · 5–7:30 pm Opening Reception | Degrees of Archive Join us to celebrate Degrees of Archive. The evening will include a performance by artist and poet Jadine Pluecker. Apr 10 · 4–6 pm MFA Opening Reception Celebrate the School of Art & Design’s Master of Fine Arts Exhibition. May 8 · 4–6 pm BFA Opening Reception Celebrate the School of Art & Design’s Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition with 100+ artists.
Performances Music · Dance · Spoken Word Thursdays · 6 pm SPEAK Café Features guest performers and welcomes everyone to the mic. Curated by local artist, Shaya Robinson. SPEAK stands for Song, Poetry, Expression, Art, and Knowledge. Sep 10, Oct 1, Nov 12, Feb 11, Mar 4, Apr 1.
Hundreds of community members joined us to celebrate the museum’s reopening—including students, staff, faculty, and art lovers from throughout the region. Photo: Fred Zwicky.
14 · Events
Nov 14 & Apr 10 · 1–3 pm Improvisers Exchange: Sonic Location Experience experimental musical soundscapes inspired by the art on view, created by student and faculty members of Improvisers Exchange Ensemble. See more on page 16.
Jan 31 · 3 pm Landscapes in Sound and Ink Musical Concert Enjoy music by Taiwanese composers reflecting the poetic atmosphere of ink painting traditions. Performed by School of Music faculty member Chi-Chen Wu, piano, and special guests, Sam Ou, cello, and Yu-Kun Hsiang, violin. Free and open to everyone. Organized by the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies, in conjunction with Ink Shower. Smith Memorial Hall, 805 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana. Feb 4 · 6 pm The Returns | Jadine Pluecker A reading and performance of The Unsettlements: Moms by exhibiting artist Jadine Pluecker. The project is a method and ongoing series interrogating multiple generations of family settlement in the state known as Texas. Presented in conjunction with Degrees of Archive. Mar 11 · 6 pm Improvisers Exchange: Sudden Sound Concert Experience a musical performance in the galleries by leading artists in avant-garde jazz and improvisation. See more on page 16. May 1 · 7 pm Devin T. Mays, For instance Exhibiting artist Devin T. Mays presents a performance in the University of Illinois Stock Pavilion. Organized by Campus Arts Research in the Office of Arts Integration, in conjunction with Degrees of Archive. 1402 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Urbana.
Talks & Tours Talks · Discussions · Guided Tours Fridays · 12 pm Noontime Gallery Talk & Tour Gain insights about the art on view in special exhibitions and the collection galleries. Sep 11, Oct 2, Nov 16, Dec 4, Jan 8, Feb 12, Mar 5, Apr 2, May 7.
Imagination, Faith, and Desire: Art and Agency in European Prints, 1475–1800 drew close viewing by visitors with 100+ works by Rembrandt, Dürer, Goya, and more. Photo: Della Perrone.
Sep 16 & Oct 14 · 1–3 pm Creative Aging Art Tour & Memory Café Join a guided tour of the museum’s collection for seniors, those living with dementia or Alzheimer’s, and care partners, followed by refreshments, artmaking activities, and conversation. Presented in partnership with Family Service of Champaign County. Sep 19 · 10:30 am Artist Talk & Tour | Centering Clay Join a tour of Centering Clay with ceramicist Catherine Weisener. Oct 10 · 10:30 am Curator Talk & Tour | In Search of a Future Join Kathryn Koca Polite for a special tour of In Search of a Future. Oct 22 · 5:30–7 pm Visiting Artist Talk | Tyson E. Lewis Professor of Art Education at the University of Northern Texas will share his creative practice and research. Part of the School of Art & Design Visitors Series. Nov 6 · 12–1:30 pm Noontime Panel Discussion with Ink Shower Artists Meet exhibiting artists from Ink Shower, including Yao Jui-Chung.
Nov 7 · 10:30 am Talk & Tour | Ink Shower Gain insights about the art on view through a special tour of Ink Shower with co-curators Kai-Ching Hsiao and Maureen Warren. Dec 3 · 5:30–7 pm Film Screening & Discussion | Day With(out) Art: World AIDS Day Part of a worldwide week of events organized by New York City–based Visual AIDS. Feb 6 · 1–2:30 pm Walkthrough of The Unsettlements: Moms Installation with Jadine Pluecker Exhibiting artist Jadine Pluecker leads a special tour of Degrees of Archive. Sign up at kam.illinois.edu/events. (15 participants) May 2 · 4–5:30 pm Artist Devin T. Mays in Conversation with Curator Amy L. Powell Presented in conjunction with the Degrees of Archive exhibition. UrbanaChampaign Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway Ave, Urbana.
For updated dates and times, visit kam.illinois.edu/events
Events · 15
MUSIC IN THE GALLERIES
Participate Artmaking · Experiences Oct 3 · 10 am–3 pm Teen Artists Retreat Enjoy walking in the woods and artmaking in the galleries after. Take home your own works of art. Lunch provided. Presented in collaboration with Anita Purves Nature Center and the Urbana Parks District. For ages 13–18. Sign up at urbanaparks.org. (15 participants)
Student and faculty members of the Improvisers Exchange Ensemble performing in the Ronny Quevedo: a l l s t a r s exhibition. Photo by Rachel Lauren Storm.
Improvisers Exchange: Sonic Location & Sudden Sound Improvisers Exchange is a multidisciplinary performance and engagement initiative led by Jason Finkelman, director of Global Arts Performance Initiatives at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Through site-responsive improvised concerts and associated workshops, these programs invite audiences to experience the museum as a space for sound experimentation. Sonic Location (November 14 & April 10) activates the galleries with soundscapes inspired by art on view, while Sudden Sound (March 11) brings leading improvising and experimental musicians into dialogue with museum exhibitions and audiences, fostering meaningful connections between visual art, music, and community engagement. Improvisers include students and faculty.
Oct 10 · 1–3 pm In the Studio: Thrown and Altered Clay Workshop Experiment with art materials, connect with others, and develop a personal style in this hands-on workshop for adults taught by ceramicist Catherine Weisener. Allen Hall, Ceramics Lab, 1005 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana. Sign up at kam.illinois.edu/events. (10 participants) Dec 10 & May 6 · 12–3:30 pm FAA Finals Fest Finals Fest is a Reading Day activity, including a coffee bar, snacks, study space, and artmaking. Presented in collaboration with the College of Fine and Applied Arts and Ricker Library for Architecture and Art. For U of I students. Feb 18 · 5:30–7:30 pm Night OUT at the Museum Celebrate queer art and artists with live music, tours, hands-on artmaking, artist demonstrations, and a reception. Presented in partnership with Uniting Pride Center of Champaign County. Apr 8 · 5–7:30 pm Teen Night at the Art Museum Explore the galleries and flex your creative muscles with music, artmaking activities, and food. Part of the Boneyard Arts Festival. For ages 13–18.
In August 2025, we celebrated the reopening of the Kinkead Pavilion after eighteen months of renovations focused on sustainability and stewardship projects, including a new roof, LED lighting, and bird-friendly glass. Photo: Fred Zwicky.
16 · Events
June 12 · 1–3 pm Girls Rock! Youth Songwriting Workshop Girls Rock! C-U leads a songwriting workshop inspired by the art on display. Open to youth of all genders. For ages 8–17. Sign up at kam.illinois.edu/events. (20 participants)
Family Fun Hands-on Activities for Kids Sep 10 · 5–7 pm Exploración Artistica para Familias Guided tour, artmaking, and dinner for families. Presented in Spanish and English. Part of the New American Welcome Center’s Welcoming Week activities. Saturdays · 1–3 pm Artventures for Kids! Join us for artmaking, stories, and exploring the galleries. For children with their families and caregivers. For ages 5+. Sep 26, Dec 5, Feb 20, Apr 17. Oct 17 & Jun 26 · 10:30 am–12:30 pm Kids at KAM: Artmaking and More! Enjoy art activities, family tours, and performances throughout the museum. For ages 3+. Mar 16–20 Spring Break at Krannert Art Museum: We’re Open! Enjoy easy access to campus. Open Tuesday–Friday, 10 am–5 pm, and Saturday, 10 am–4 pm, during Spring Break. Parking nearby is free on weekends.
Our reopening celebration included a performance by Quechua hip-hop artist Liberato Kani (above, center) who is based in Lima, Peru. Kelly Hieronymous (above) taught popular printmaking workshops for adults. Photos: Rachel Lauren Storm, Fred Zwicky.
Apr 9 & 10 Boneyard Arts Festival Explore the museum during Boneyard Arts Festival, a countywide celebration of the arts, and the University of Illinois Moms Weekend.
ARTIST TALKS & WORKSHOPS
Museum Partnership with Allerton Artist-in-Residence Program Krannert Art Museum is proud to partner with and support the Allerton Park & Retreat Center Artistin-Residence Program by collaborating on artist talks, workshops, and other public programs featuring each selected artist. Learn more at allerton.illinois .edu/artist-in-residence.
For updated dates and times: visit kam.illinois.edu/events
Events · 17
Donor Spotlight M. Christine Schwartz Illinois Alumna and Philanthropist
Philanthropy embodies the desire to enhance the well-being of others, often demonstrated through generous contributions to meaningful causes. M. Christine (Chris) Schwartz exemplifies philanthropy in its purest form through her dedication and generosity to meaningful causes. Her educational journey includes earning degrees from three public universities in Illinois: University of Illinois at Chicago (BSN ’70); University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign (MS ’72, Applied Health Sciences); and Northern Illinois University (MS ’80). Chris dedicated her professional career to nursing; a field inherently committed to promoting the health and welfare of others. “I’m passionate about my life’s work and I consider myself fortunate to have received an education that enabled me to pursue and excel in a nursing career focused on serving others,” she said. Chris actively contributes to the education of future nurses across several institutions, supporting those pursuing similar career paths.
18 · Spotlight
At Krannert Art Museum, we were fortunate to discover an additional passion of hers—one that also enhances the well-being of others, but in a different way. She has been collecting art since 1979. We connected with her through her efforts to preserve a special group of paintings by Chicago artists that she purchased to save from dispersal outside the state. Through multiple conversations and meetings, a number of those paintings are now a valued part of Krannert Art Museum’s permanent collection (including Martha Baker’s Self-Portrait, 1911, currently on view; see opposite page, far right). Those conversations also led to impassioned discussions about why art is important and the value it brings to our lives, and why the history of art, museums, and artists are so vitally important. Ultimately, Chris decided to share a significant monetary gift in support of Krannert Art Museum, and with her gift we have established the M. Christine
Schwartz Endowment for Exhibition Support. This new endowment fund will provide secure funding in perpetuity for curatorial research, developing and executing diverse research-based temporary exhibitions, as well as exhibitions showcasing innovative and robust reinterpretations of the museum’s permanent collection. We sincerely thank Chris for her immensely impactful gift and her commitment to supporting the dedicated efforts of the museum’s curators and educators as they collaboratively research, develop exhibitions and programming, and share the results of their work with all visitors to Krannert Art Museum. —Brenda Nardi, Senior Director of Advancement
Spotlight · 19 Photo: Evelyn C. Shapiro.
Student Spotlight Ivan Cherniakov
Photo: Alex Wellens.
Ivan Cherniakov is a PhD student in Art History at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was awarded Krannert Art Museum’s Research Fellowship in European Art Before 1900 for the 2025–2026 academic year. He recently curated Landscapes in Construction selecting artwork from the permanent collection for display in the Rosann Gelvin Noel Gallery, as part of Art Since 1948. Every summer a select number of artworks rotate in and out of Art Since 1948, the museum’s collection gallery dedicated to modern and contemporary art, curated originally by Amy L. Powell. The rotations are primarily light-sensitive works—drawings, prints, and photographs—that require rest after display. The gallery’s Dialogues section, which focuses on works on paper, features new themes every year, often highlighting recent acquisitions or old favorites. Assistant Curator Kathryn Koca Polite asked Research Fellow Ivan Cherniakov to share his curatorial approach to the project. Ivan: Landscapes in Construction showcases diverse approaches to representations of landscape from the
20 · Spotlight
Bea Nettles, Dance, from Return Trips, 2001. Inkjet print on paper. Gift of the artist in honor of Amy L. Powell, 2021-5-16. © Bea Nettles.
second half of the 20th century to today. While landscapes are predominantly associated with grand and idealized portrayals of nature, works by such artists as Al-An deSouza, Walker Evans, David Ligare, Bea Nettles, Fritz Scholder, and Art Sinsabaugh demonstrate how depictions of land and environment have also served as a lively field of artistic experimentation. Playing with landscape’s illusionism and subverting it, artists have interrogated the social and material relations that mediate and construct how we perceive the world around us. Why do we see
certain places as domesticated and familiar, while others as remote and exotic? What makes us see uninhabited territories as empty wastelands, and how do completely artificial environments appear to us as natural paradises? Some artists here have also used landscapes to reimagine how we might treat the land and its human and non-human inhabitants differently, with respect and care for the shared past and futures. Landscapes in Construction will be on view through June 1, 2027.
Student Spotlight Evie McAllister
humanities but didn’t know how to fit all my values and passions into one subject. Each field I explored felt too narrow. I wanted to find a field that provided opportunities to engage with a variety of subjects and audiences as well as one that would allow me to share information through a variety of mediums, and museum studies allow that.
Photo: Rachel Lauren Storm.
Evie McAllister is a graduate student in both History and Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a museum educator and curatorial intern she leads tours, field trips, and public events for a wide array of audiences and produces curatorial research. This past year, Evie also completed a practicum with Spurlock Museum of World Cultures' registration department and provided reference work for the University Archives. Her own scholarship explores the intersections of museums, historical narrative, and systems of knowledge, with a particular interest in how museums can become more inclusive, accessible, and socially responsive spaces. Assistant Director for Community Engagement and Learning Rachel Lauren Storm and Curator of European and American Art Maureen Warren sat down with Graduate Assistant and Curatorial Intern Evie McAllister. Rachel & Maureen: Evie, tell us a little about yourself and your journey into studying museums. Evie: When I entered university, I knew I wanted to build a career in the
Rachel & Maureen: What types of engagement, learning, and curatorial work have you helped make possible in your role at the museum? Evie: I work with the Community Engagement and Learning team, making space for artistic creation and reflection within our community. We spread awareness that Krannert Art Museum is open to everyone and that anyone can come enjoy what we have to offer. In my position, I get to see many people begin their own journey with art. Whether I am teaching someone to crochet at our Knit & Sit circle in the galleries, facilitating performances at SPEAK Café, or leading tours of first-time visitors, I’m always happy to be a part of their artistic journey.
Evie: I am a graduate student of Information Science and History. I focus on the development of cultural awareness and memory, especially in relation to museums and non-verbal communications within them. Literature can only convey so much, so the people at Krannert Art Museum have deepened my understanding of the processes and relations that allow our museum to be what it is. Rachel & Maureen: Has your experience working at the museum influenced your thinking about museums? Evie: Since joining Krannert Art Museum, I see museums as entities that are more capable of expanding beyond architectural boundaries than I had previously believed. Outside of the museum proper, Krannert Art Museum engages with our community by promoting and participating in local art festivals, holding occasional appreciation events for arts in the park, and more.
As a curatorial intern this past semester, I have been assisting Maureen Warren and her team with collection development and research for an exhibit that is scheduled for 2028. I have combed through many publications housed in the University of Illinois’ libraries and online for materials related to our topic. We are currently drafting labels for selected works. I am also composing a blog post for Krannert Art Museum’s website. Rachel & Maureen: How does this work connect with your research and other scholarly work?
Photo: Kamila Glowacki.
Spotlight · 21
Education Spotlight Partnering with Rural Schools Krannert Art Museum has a rich history of sustained, meaningful engagement with K–12 students and teachers throughout the UrbanaChampaign area, helping to create a sense of belonging and connection with the museum and its exhibitions on view. As part of a broader commitment to bringing the arts to communities with lesser access, the museum’s Community Engagement and Learning team regularly partners with rural classrooms, whose students often travel greater distances to access meaningful arts and cultural experiences. What can art museum engagement offer rural K-12 schools? Many rural partnerships become consistent, longterm collaborations due to strong connections and leadership with partnering teachers.
Maggie Kirby is the art teacher at LeRoy Elementary School, an annual partner with Krannert Art Museum for over seven years. LeRoy Elementary School has brought students on site to engage with the museum’s galleries and exhibitions through play-based, interactive learning experiences. Kirby’s dedication to connecting her students with the museum also remained steady throughout the pandemic, when the museum pivoted to virtual tours over Zoom. Reflecting on a recent field trip, Kirby shared that though, “each part of the experience was engaging and educational on multiple levels—from expanding students’ worldviews to interacting with artwork, artifacts, historical objects, tools, and movement activities…Krannert Art Museum staff help students make meaningful connections between history, culture,
and creativity in ways that cannot be replicated in a classroom.” Rural partnerships are plentiful at Krannert Art Museum. In the past two years alone, the museum has hosted field trips for students from Oakwood (Vermilion County), Watseka (Iroquois), Tuscola (Douglas), Arthur (Douglas/ Moultrie), Lovington (Moultrie), Atwood (Douglas/Piatt), Hammond (Piatt), Georgetown (Vermilion), Mansfield (Piatt), Farmer City (DeWitt), and Bellflower (McLean). In addition to regular field trips and tours, the museum expanded its ArtReach initiative (first launched at Booker T. Washington STEM Academy in Champaign) to Blue Ridge Intermediate and Junior High School in Mansfield, Illinois. ArtReach is Krannert Art Museum’s in-depth school partnership program that brings
Graduate Assistant Grace Bae (above) is part of the team who lead museum tours and art activities in area schools. Photo: Kamila Glowacki.
22 22· Partnering with Rural Schools
“Museum staff help students make meaningful connections between history, culture, and creativity in ways that cannot be replicated in a classroom.” —Maggie Kirby, Art Teacher LeRoy Elementary School
museum educators into classrooms and students into the museum— centering schools in rural, low-income, and underrepresented communities. In collaboration with English Language Arts teacher Karisa Yeagle, museum educators led a six-week, social justice–informed arts-based curriculum for seventh graders at Blue Ridge Intermediate and Junior High School. From museum visits to hands-on workshops at school, students used art as a lens to reflect on the role of creativity in understanding the world around them and building community. To launch our partnership, seventh graders from Blue Ridge Intermediate and Junior High schools dove deep into art and activism through a six-week ArtReach residency with Krannert Art Museum's Community Engagement and Learning team. Led by Kamila Glowacki and Grace Bae, students explored works by Nick Cave, Angel Starr, and Nnenna Okore, and
responded by creating their own zines. From museum visits to hands-on workshops at school, the students used art as a lens to reflect on the role of creativity in understanding the world around us and building community. Their final creations debuted at the school’s Museum Night—an annual event transforming the halls into a gallery of student-led projects celebrating influential women. These partnerships show how art museum engagement can create meaningful opportunities for rural students to connect creativity, history, and their own lived experiences beyond the classroom. Through sustained relationships with teachers and schools, Krannert Art Museum works to ensure that students from rural communities feel at home when they walk through our doors.
Photo: Kamila Glowacki.
—Kamila Glowacki, Assistant Curator of Community Engagement and Learning
Partnering with Rural Schools ·· 23 23 SECTION
New Acquisitions Expanding the Museum’s Collection Each year, Krannert Art Museum is privileged to bring a number of extraordinary artworks into the collection. New acquisitions are selected with an eye to our collecting priorities, artists we wish to support, and to the conceptual strength, historical significance, and aesthetic excellence of the work. Growing the collection allows us to continue offering our audiences new and unique opportunities for research and teaching, and for experiencing the sheer pleasure of communing with a compelling work of art. Here, we highlight three recent acquisitions—a small sample of the many wonderful works that joined the museum’s collection in 2025–2026. The bold and colorful print of a boy among pinwheels by renowned Afro-Brazilian artist Emanoel Araújo is part of a portfolio of seven woodcuts depicting the artist’s home state of Bahia on the northern coast of Brazil. In the painting Beauty of Your Own III, Ethiopian artist Wosene Worke Kosrof abstracts and animates a syllable from the Amharic script, his native language. And a modest blue bench with lettering in white sends a powerful message to visitors from artist and disability rights activist Finnegan Shannon, whose work summons us to consider the ethics of care in museum settings. Together, these three remarkable artworks testify to the myriad ways in which art can engage museumgoers and activate space. —Allyson Purpura, Senior Curator and Curator of Global African Art
Photo: Kathryn Koca Polite.
24 · New Acquisitions
Gifts of Art and Support for Purchases, 2025–2026 We are grateful to those who supported the development of the museum’s collection over the past year through gifts of art. John and Judy Alfonsi Jerry T. Cyrkiel Ann Einhorn Paula Ely and Cesar Rueda John Glick Estate and Susie T. Symons Gerry Hayes Jon C. Liebman David Ligare Marvin Lipofsky Studio Kevin Lyle Arnold and Kathryn Rudnick School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Roger Brown Estate M. Christine Schwartz Jon L. Seydl Joy Thorton-Walter Jolene Tritt and Paul Herzog
Visionary acquisition funds have also allowed the curators to develop the museum’s holdings. George M. Irwin Acquisition and Conservation Fund Krannert Art Museum Council Acquired Taste Celebration Fund Richard M. and Rosann Gelvin Noel Krannert Art Museum Fund Iver M. Nelson, Jr. Art Acquisition and Conservation Fund Anthony J. Petullo Art Acquisition and Conservation Fund
Collection Support Gifts of art and donor-supported acquisition funds are the primary ways we strengthen the collection on an ongoing basis. Please reach out to Senior Director of Advancement Brenda Nardi at bnardi@illinois.edu, if you would like to assist in this important work.
L, Above: Emanoel Araújo, Bahia, 1964. Wood engraving on paper, 21-1/4 x 14-5/8 inches. Gift of Ann Einhorn, 2026-21-1. © The Estate of Emanoel Araújo. L, Below: Finnegan Shannon, Do you want us here or not, 2018. Baltic Birch Plywood, paint, 35-1/2 x 73-1/2 x 27 inches. Museum Purchase through George M. Irwin Fund, 2025-14-1. © Finnegan Shannon. R: Wosene Worke Kosrof, Beauty of Your Own III, 2008. Acrylic on canvas. Gift of Jolene Tritt and Paul Herzog. 2025-18-1. © Wosene Worke Kosrof.
New Acquisitions · 25
Partners and Friends Director’s Circle
Your support through contributions to the Friends of Krannert Art Museum Fund plays a vital role in funding the research, development, and planning of the museum’s exhibitions and programming. Thank you for your belief in the museum and support of its mission. Everyone who becomes a member of Krannert Art Museum will receive benefits during the 2026–2027 season, including invitations to the August 2026 Members’ Reception, opportunities to learn about new exhibitions through intimate curator-led tours, reserved seating at select events, and access to museums far and wide. We hope you enjoy those opportunities to connect with art, ideas, and each other—and that you take pride in knowing that your support helps make the museum a free and accessible resource for all.
Museum Members Don’t let your membership lapse! Check your Krannert Art Museum membership card for the expiration date and watch for your renewal reminder email. If you have questions or need assistance through the renewal process, please reach out to Stacie Stewart in the museum office, at staciels @ illinois.edu or (217) 333–1860.
Adelaide Aime and David Cahill Robin Allen and Daniel Noel James and Ruth Anderson George Batzli Erica and Alessandro Bellina Jerry Carden and Timothy Temple Beverly and Michael Friese Sharon Harkness Fred and Donna Giertz Jane Trishman Heaton Joan and Peter Hood Barbara Hundley Timothy and Roberta Killeen Abraham and Elizabeth Kocheril Leonard Lewicki Walter and Marguerite Maguire Kathryn Micek Bruce and Theresa Michelson Walter and Jane Myers Richard Noel Anthony Petullo and Beverly Trier Alice Pfeffer Gary and Fraeda Porton Gloria Rainer Gail Rost-Beberman and Martin Beberman Kim Robeson Schwenk and Dean Schwenk Lisa and Eric Robeson Phyllis Robeson Marty Sierra-Perry and Edward Perry Cecile Steinberg Robert and Bonnie Switzer Edward and Nancy Tepper Carolyn Casady-Trimble and Ralph Trimble Jerald Wray
Patrons
Support the museum! Visit kam .illinois.edu/ support.
26 · Partners
Carl and Nadja Altstetter Carolyn Casady-Trimble and Ralph Trimble Mary Gaddy Patrick Harness Nancy Johnson Michael Lambert and Timothy Hutchison Melissa McKillip Randall and Sheila Ott Mary Anna Pomonis
John and Jane Santogrossi Prudence Spodek Sarah and Charles Wisseman
Benefactors Marc and Frances Ansel Amani Ayad Paula and Clifford Barnes Tamarra Rennick Bernstein and Andy Bernstein Andreas and Helen Cangellaris David and Beth Chasco Thelma Fite Clare and Alan Haussermann Stephen Kaufman and Viktoria Ford Peter and Karen Mortensen Carol and Arthur Pesch David and Jean Peters Crystal and Douglas Robinson Gene and Julia Robinson Katherine Ryan Harriett Shapland Kathleen and David Smith Matthew Winters and Carmen Ugarte Kimberly and Daniel Wurl Masaharu Yamaguchi and Marc Macon
Plus One Richard Alkire and Melissa Huff Sally Anderson Richard and Carol Arnould Jane Block and Paul Kruty Carl Corbin and Denise Dees Copenhaver Cumpston Deborah Day Richard Edelson and Donna Smith Brant Houston and Rhonda Fallon Brice Hutchcraft Eric Ives Tyler Kurasek Louis and Mary Liay Paul Lubinski Siobhan McKissic Amanda McWilliams and Scott Schaub Antonios “Tony” Michalos and Joannie Michalos Richard Mohr and Robert Switzer
Mark and Linda Moore Jean Paley Dan and Mary Ellen Peterson Linda and Fredrick Robinson Diane Schumacher Molly and John Scott Peggy Shapiro Robin Smith Charles Smyth and Audrey Ishii Michelle and Michael Wellens Kelly Whiting Adrienne and Kirk Wible Sharon and Edward Williams Sandra Wolf and Glen Davies
Individual Memberships Harold E. Balbach Judith Barrows Peter J. Barry Brenda Berg Gale Bickel Rosemary A. Buck Nancy S. Creason Nancy Dankle Catherine Denial Debra S. Eichelberger Lisa M. Evans Linda L. Fisher Rose Marie Foley Barbara Ford Lorraine Graham Erich Haratsch David L. Hays Heather R. Johnson Debra L. Karplus Mary Beth Kurasek Paula T. Kaufman M. L. Khuri Michael Maehr Arthur L. Mann Joyce C. Mast Melissa Merli Pamela L. Moriearty Brenda J. Nardi Aiko K. Perry Christopher A. Schaede Rochelle Sennet Naresh R. Shanbhag Diana E. Sheets Marie Slattery Cheryl A. Snyder Sara F. Taber Ellen M. Warmbrunn Sharon E. Wenda
Ava R. Wolf Theodore N. Zernich
Annual Fund Gifts John and Kathleen Bennett Kelly and Julie Block Roy and Ann Campbell Jordan Chin Joan Clement Barbara Curtis Luis Cuza Margaret Deming Mary Ann Espeseth Barbara Ford Richard Furr and Margie Harris Dorothy Gemberling Janet Greger Kimiko Gunji Leland and Edit Holloway Gary and Dixie Jackson Julia Kling David and Jennifer Knickel Patricia and Frank Knowles Philip and Sheila Krein Stephen Lain Ruth Loomis and Michael Greene Leslie Mason Jeffrey and Patricia Maysent Alan Mette Armine and Rudolf Mortimer Traci Nally and Bruce Kelso Julia O'Neill Robert and Dianne Patterson Felisa and Jay Reynolds Connie Rieken Marlyn Rinehart Christie Roszkowski Anthony and Penelope Soskin Karen and Alan Usas Ellen Warmbrunn Russell and Cheryl Weber James and Frances Welch Sharon West Margaret Wolf Jacqueline and Timothy Wong Janet Wong and Roger Clark Kimberly and Daniel Wurl Peter and Rittchell Yau Ruth Yontz Gregory and Marjorie Zack
“The start of each academic year brings a range of engaging exhibitions, programs, and opportunities to experience the museum in new and exciting ways. As we welcome our new director and anticipate the excitement of a new season, we look forward to seeing you often!” —Brenda Nardi, Senior Director of Advancement College of Fine and Applied Arts bnardi@illinois.edu, (217) 265-6966
Photo: Fred Zwicky.
Partners · 27
Acquired Taste Celebration Presented by Krannert Art Museum Council In May 2026, Krannert Art Museum Council hosted a gala evening that invited members, friends, and art lovers to come together to celebrate the museum’s collection and to help it grow in new and exciting ways. The fourth Acquired Taste Celebration drew 100+ guests. The evening included dinner, curator talks, and voting on which work of art to purchase for the collection. The winning work of art was a painting proposed by Maureen Warren, “Small Landscape: City of Hope” (pictured at right) by Yao Jui-Chung. The painting will be on view as part of Ink Shower: Contemporary Taiwanese Artists Reimagine Tradition (November 5, 2026–February 27, 2027). Yao will be visiting from Taiwan in November, speaking on campus and leading an exhibition tour.
Guests at the Acquired Taste Celebration viewing the winning work of art, Small Landscape: City of Hope (2011) by Yao Jui-Chung. Photo: Craig Pessman.
We are grateful to our generous event sponsors and supporters: Robin Allen and Richard Noel Anderson Dental John and Kathy Aquino Lesli Babbs and Lawrence Krantz George Batzli Charlotte Bauer Kathleen and John Bennett Brenda Berg Gale Bickel Dr. Rosemary A. Buck Deborah and Ray Burnham Busey Bank – Busey Wealth Management Carolyn Casady-Trimble and Ralph Trimble Champaign Jewelers Choreo Advisors Roger Clark and Janet Wong Joan Clement Clara de la Fuente Harold and Nancy Diamond
28 · Partners
Holly Dodds Debbie Eichelberger Ann Einhorn Fawkes Health First State Bank and Trust Fleurish Bev Friese Kaylee Gerlach Jean Hagen Patrick Harness Sharon Harkness Alan and Claire Haussermann Peter and Joan Hood Tim Hutchison and Michael Lambert Nancy L. Johnson Deborah Katz-Downie and Stephen Downie Abe and Lisa Kocheril Brenda and Thomas Koester Craig Koslofsky and Dana Rabin
Blake Kurasek Leonard Lewicki Jon C. Liebman Kathy Micek Michaels’ Catering Thom and Martha Moore Jane Murray Walter and Jane Myers Brenda Nardi Carol Norcross Randy and Sheila Ott Carol Pesch Jean and G. David Peters Alice Pfeffer Fraeda and Gary Porton Gloria Rainer Marlyn Rinehart Felisa Vergara Reynolds and Jay Reynolds Gene and Julia Robinson The Rev. Dr. Fredrick Robinson and Mrs. Linda Robinson
Gail Rost-Beberman Jane Santogrossi Peggy Shapiro Martha Sierra-Perry and Ed Perry Marie Slattery Stephanie Smith Cecile Steinberg Phil Strang and Mary Welle Strang Nancy and Ed Tepper Geraldine Tierney Skot Wiedmann Sharon E. and Edward W. Williams Ava R. and Richard M. Wolf Jerry Wray Dan and Kim Wurl Masaharu Yamaguchi and Marc Macon
Corporate and Community Partners 40 North / 88 West Champaign County Arts Council Amber Glen Memory Care Anita Purves Nature Center The Art Coop The Autism Program of Illinois Ballet Folklorico Blue Ridge Community Unit School District 18 The BlueCoat Philanthropic Fund and Jamie L. Watson Brookdale Urbana The Brooklyn Rail Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh Carriage Crossing Senior Living of Champaign Champaign County History Museum Champaign County Master Gardeners Champaign County Museum Network Champaign Public Library Champaign Unit 4 School District Champaign-Urbana (CU) Community Fab Lab Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin–Madison City of Champaign City of Urbana ClarkLindsey College Bound Country Arbors Nursery Crash Events CU Autism Network CU BIPOC Artist’s Collective CU Jazz Festival CU Schools Foundation Cunningham Children’s Home Darrell Hoemann Photography DREAAM (Driven to Reach Excellence and Academic Achievement for Males) DutchCultureUSA, Kingdom of the Netherlands East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging Encanto Restaurant Experience Champaign-Urbana Family Service of Champaign County Fleurish Gallery Art Bar Georgetown-Ridge Farm CUSD #4
Girls Rock Champaign-Urbana Harmony Through Beads HarshPro Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Huanangue Valley Archaeology Project IDEA Store Illinois Arts Council Independent Media Center Indigenous Pathways Program Institute of Museum and Library Services James and Beth Armsey Fund Jesuit University Antonio Ruiz de Montoya The Jewish Museum, New York Krannert Art Museum Council Leonard F. Heumann Fund LeRoy School District 2 Luckman Fine Arts Complex, California State University, Los Angeles Mariachi Tigres of Urbana School District Mayor of Champaign, Deborah Feinen Mayor of Urbana, DeShawn Williams Michaels’ Catering Ministry of Culture, Taiwan Museo Hermogenes Mejía Solf in Jaén, Peru Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston National Endowment for the Humanities National Fund for Cultural and Arts Development of Chile National University; José Faustino Sánchez Carrión del Perú New American Welcome Center, University YMCA Next Generation School Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) The Pavilion Foundation Pygmalion Rantoul Township High School Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum Small Press Fest Stephens Family YMCA Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York Spencer Foundation Tainan National University of the Arts
Tate Modern, London Toledo Museum of Art Uniting Pride Urbana Arts and Culture Program The Urbana Free Library Urbana Park District Urbana School District #116 Ursula and R. Stanley Johnson Charitable Fund Villa Albertine, The French Institute for Culture and Education/Cultural Services of the French Embassy Visual AIDS Welcoming Collaborative
U of I Partners Allerton Park and Retreat Center Alumni Association Art & Design Visitors Series Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology Center for Advanced Study MillerComm Lecture Series Center for African Studies Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies Center for Global Studies Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Center for the Global Study of Gender Equity Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) Climate Jobs Institute College of Education College of Fine and Applied Arts College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Department of Animal Sciences Department of Curriculum and Instruction Department of Dance Department of English Department of Landscape Architecture Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism Department of Theatre Department of Urban and Regional Planning Digital Lab, School of Art & Design Disability Resources and Educational Services Facilities & Services Francis P. Rohlen Visiting Artists Fund
George A. Miller Visiting Scholar Program Grainger College of Engineering Humanities Research Institute Illinois Arboretum Illinois Extension Illinois International Japan House Krannert Center for the Performing Arts La Casa Cultural Latina Latin American and Caribbean Cities Collective Lorado Taft Lectureship on Art McKinley Health Center Native American House Office for Access & Equity Office for Arts Integration/ Campus Arts Research Office of Native Affairs Office of the Vice Chancellor for Access, Civil Rights & Community Presidential Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of Arts & Humanities, University of Illinois System Re-fashioned Show Ricker Library of Architecture and Art Robert E. Brown Center for World Music School of Architecture School of Art & Design School of Labor and Employment Relations School of Music School of Social Work Siebel Center for Design Sinfonia da Camera The Spencer Foundation Spurlock Museum Student Success, Inclusion, and Belonging Sustainable Design Program Technology Entrepreneur Center, Grainger College of Engineering Technology Services, College of Fine and Applied Arts TRIO Upward Bound, The Jeffries Center University of Illinois Archives Women of PRIDE Vision 2030 Global Strategy Implementation Grant Women’s Resources Center Current as of June 1, 2026
Partners ·· 29 29 SECTION
Photo: Evelyn C. Shapiro
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Fine and Applied Arts 500 East Peabody Drive Champaign, IL 61820 kam.illinois.edu | 217 244 0745
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Design and production by Evelyn C. Shapiro. Original design by Practise. Design by Evelyn C. Shapiro, based on an original design by Practise. Copyediting by Kathryn Koca Polite. Editorial assistance by Magdalena Neff.