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Chicago Reader •

The joke’s on us - Chicago Reader

What phrase do artists and capitalist America utter most frequently? “Pay me!”

Yang Mai’s solo exhibition, “Pay Me”, at Facility comes with an Easter egg. You will find the artist’s Venmo and Alipay QR codes and the words “PAY ME, FUCK EM” lining the storefront window’s inner frames. The oversize, all caps declaration screams in your face. For the artists and working class among the audience, it resonates fully with our lived experience of trying to get paid a living wage (or get paid at all)....
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

Kansas City's Vietnamese coffee scene is growing. Here's where to find the best Cà Phê Sữa Đá

This story was first published in KCUR's Adventure newsletter. You can sign up to receive stories like this in your inbox every Tuesday.If someone were to make a list of the fastest-trending beverages in the U.S. over the past few years, Vietnamese coffee is sure to come out high on the list.Rich, aromatic, sweet, and unapologetically strong, this classic beverage is such a crowd favorite that many of Kansas City’s best coffee shops and cafes have adopted some variation of the drink, such as the...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

Netherlands in Kansas City: Your World Cup guide to celebrating Dutch soccer and culture

This story was first published in KCUR's Adventure newsletter. You can sign up to receive stories like this in your inbox every Tuesday.The Netherlands men’s national team holds an impressive World Cup record that few other teams can match. They’ve appeared in 12 World Cups and reached the finals three times, although they’ve never won. Perhaps 2026 is their year.A northwestern European nation famous for its windmills and tulips, the Netherlands has a relatively small population of 18 million. I...
Chicago Reader •

Flowers in the mirror, moon in the water - Chicago Reader

A smiling Chinese woman in an elegant, gold-lined blue qi pao stands in the foreground. A group of men and snickering children stare at her well-ironed curls and pronounced form—the men eyeing her curves with blatant interest. In the background, pagodas dotted with neon signs tower in front of a red sky.

Grant Avenue, San Francisco is just one of many highly detailed paintings on display at Wrightwood 659’s “Martin Wong: Chinatown USA,” in which the artist recreated his lived experience as a qu...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

Explore 6 World Cup-inspired exhibits coming to Kansas City museums

The world’s largest soccer tournament is coming to Kansas City this summer, and the whole metro is preparing.In addition to food, drinks, and family-friendly activities waiting for World Cup visitors, Kansas City also has plenty to offer when it comes to art, history and culture.Residents and newcomers can get in the spirit with these six soccer-themed and World Cup-inspired exhibitions at Kansas City museums, galleries and institutions.What role did soccer play during World War I? Learn the his...
The SHOUT •

Heritage & modernity: 'Street Nihonga: The Art of Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani' & Yoshida women printmakers at the Spencer Museum of Art

From a Western cultural standpoint, we often glorify traditional Japanese art as a luxury item. We might associate Nihonga (Japanese paintings) or Mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock prints), with the décor in upscale tea houses or encounter them in museums.However, as with any art form, when the practitioners of the craft move through time, history, and geography, tihey carry their heritage with them through geopolitical and socio-economic changes. The artists introduce new subjects into traditional...
Chicago Reader •

Filter Photo’s annual survey show - Chicago Reader

In “Context 2026,” Filter Photo’s annual survey of contemporary photography, 25 artists selected by Sara Ickow, associate director of exhibitions at the International Center of Photography, investigate the hidden narrative behind still images.

The photos capture a moment of in-between, both in nature and in human lives. This pause forces the audience to, quite literally, take a better look at the subjects being photographed.

In 21091604, Toronto-based photographer Zackery Hobler documents a pr...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

6 Kansas City art exhibits you'll love seeing this spring

As Kansas City enjoys some spring showers (and a random snowstorm) and hopes for blooming flowers, now is a great time to spend time with art that’s designed to connect us with our fellow humans.Here are six exhibitions you should explore around the Kansas City metro, spanning Indigenous artists from the Midwest and aspiring students ready to embrace a wider world.Members of the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) Asian American Pacific Islander Association present “Perseverance: Shifting Tides” at...
Sixty Inches From Center •

Codifying Reality: What is Spoken and What is Felt? - Sixty Inches From Center

When I was little, I spent most of my free time alone. To combat boredom, I developed this game where I tore out pages from books, writing pads, and magazines, cut them into lines and individual characters, then scrambled them on the table. I then pick out random strips and see what paragraphs they would form. If you flipped the paper, you would sometimes get sliced words, mismatched shapes, or bright, colorful strips on the other side.


What I pieced together became a language that only made...
Art Critter •

Honoring the Messy Beauty of Motherhood — Art Critter

The closest I’ve experienced when it comes to motherhood is being a bunny mom: and that creates enough stress on top of juggling all my plates. I could not fathom being a human mom and being anything else at the same time. Imagine having a newborn while preparing for a museum exhibition, or working two jobs then getting accused of being negligent by your teenage daughter.Behind every success story of a single mother who completed a master’s degree are probably unseen tears and nights after night...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

7 must-see Kansas City art exhibits to kick off your 2026

Kansas City’s winter has been relatively mild so far, giving the perfect excuse to get out of the warmth of our home and check out some wonderful exhibitions featuring local and regional artists.After all, what better way to start your 2026 than immersing yourself in the wonderful talent of our arts scene?Before winter ends, check out these seven art exhibitions around Kansas City.“Speeding” is the latest group exhibition at one of Kansas City’s independent artist-run spaces, 100,000,000 (“one h...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

These are Kansas City's newest barbecue restaurants and food trucks you have to try

Kansas City saw the opening of its first Museum of BBQ this year — but the city’s barbecue scene is far from a museum. It’s constantly growing, evolving and changing, much like the cuisine itself.While we all know the familiar long-time players in the BBQ scene (like Joe’s and Gates), many new restaurants have also joined the smoking game.If you are in for some new spots for smoked meat, here are some picks that opened recently.Opened in August 2025, American Way Smokehouse in Independence is li...
we[dot]art •

Atlas 9: Inside the Immersive Sci-Fi Art Experience | we[dot]art

If your favorite shows include “Warehouse 13,” “FRINGE,” “Primeval,” “The Librarians,” or the classic “X Files,” there is a new immersive, interactive art experience with your name on its doors.​With over 45,000 square feet of hand-crafted sculptures, installations, and structures, “Atlas 9” tells the story of an abandoned theater that became alive when a desperate attempt to revive the business went pear-shaped. What started as an experiment to deploy a new and more powerful projection system f...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

At these 6 Kansas City craft shops, you can handmake holiday gifts — or keep them for yourself

This story was first published in KCUR's Adventure newsletter. You can sign up to receive stories like this in your inbox every Tuesday.If you’re dedicated to giving your loved ones the most unique holiday present this year, you could start with one of the many holiday artist markets happening around Kansas City.But you must admit: Nothing beats a handmade gift infused with your love. For those who feel comfortable DIYing, here are six places in Kansas City to make a one-of-a-kind gift.Embrace y...
we[dot]art •

Balloon Museum Chicago 2025: EmotionAir Inflatable Art Exhibition of Play, Healing & Wonder | we[dot]art

​At night, I go on board and sayGood-night to all my friends on shore;I shut my eyes and sail awayAnd see and hear no more. – My Bed is A Boat, from A Child’s Garden of Verses “Airship Orchestra” by ENESS. Photo courtesy of Balloon Museum.​Chicago may have never needed more playfulness than it does now as political disruption and state-sanctioned violence sweep through the city. There are too many reasons to feel hopeless and deprived, and too few to feel hopeful and energized. In times such as...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

Check out these 6 Kansas City maker’s markets, fairs and festivals this holiday season

Shopping at a large box store for holiday presents might be easier, but buying directly from local artists, makers, and small businesses will give you a sense of accomplishment unlike any other.Kansas City businesses need your support, so this year, head to your talented neighbors and spend your dollars where they matter the most.Here are six holiday maker’s markets around the Kansas City region where you can buy thoughtful presents for every loved one in your life.Looking to support some local...
Chicago Reader •

‘No tragedy is irrelevant’ - Chicago Reader

Spanning both floors of the Cochrane-Woods Art Center at the University of Chicago, “Air Crash Report” begins with a papier-mache sculpture suspended in the lobby. Mimicking burnt and shattered crate fragments, the installation is made with printed reports, documentation, and online speculations around the deadliest plane crash in China’s aviation history.

On March 21, 2022, MU5735 plunged into a hillside in southwestern Guangxi approximately an hour after taking off, killing all 132 people on...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

5 art exhibits in Kansas City you should catch this fall

Kansas City’s art scene is poised for a bountiful harvest this autumn with an impressive lineup of visual art exhibitions — many of which focus on the earth, land, motherhood and the elements.We are in for a season of reconnection and self-reflection, so if you need to slow down from a busy summer, check out our guide to must-see art exhibits and spend a day quietly connecting with your creative side.“Sensual, imaginative, and sublime” are the words that come to mind immediately after viewing th...
Chicago Reader •

To hold and to be held - Chicago Reader

What is a container? What does it contain?

Curated by Christina Nafziger, “Sacred Containers: Capsules, Conduits, and Other Stories,” on view at Chicago Artists Coalition, juxtaposes shapes, forms, and metaphors. The exhibition visualizes divine vessels that hold the very fiber that makes up civilization and identity, documenting memories, histories, traditions, and transformations.

Visitors are immediately greeted by works by Cecilia Beaven, whose multimedia practice forms an original mytholo...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

Our favorite Kansas City skate parks for all skill levels

This story was first published in KCUR's Adventure newsletter. You can sign up to receive stories like this in your inbox every Tuesday.Kansas City has a robust skateboarding community, and it’s easy to see why. Skating is thrilling, and a great way to meet new friends.Intimidated about starting? You don’t have to be. There are plenty of skateboard clinics for newcomers around town, including ones organized by GOSKATE, KC Longboard Community and Varsity Skate.Whether you're a skateboarding newbi...
KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR •

Kansas City's art scene will delight you this summer. Here are 5 exhibits to check out

This story was first published in KCUR's Adventure newsletter. You can sign up to receive stories like this in your inbox every Tuesday.Summer is always the peak art season in Kansas City, featuring everything from farmers markets and vendor fairs to art and music festivals.If you’d rather stay in the comfort of an air-conditioned room, our city’s galleries have lots to offer, too. We’ve selected five exhibits on display this summer from artists based in and near the Kansas City metro.The Kansas...
Art Critter •

Life Otherwise — Art Critter

Phaínōterra is modeled after Earth’s neighbor, Venus, whose atmosphere contains phosphate gas. Phosphine, a highly reactive element, does not persist naturally. Therefore, the discovery of phosphate gas and amino acids in the planet’s atmosphere serves as convincing testimony that there might be alien life present on our neighboring planet.Lab studies have shown that while carbon-based lifeforms, as found on Earth, cannot survive in such an environment, sulfur-based lifeforms are a possibility....
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