Events Calendar
Events are free and take place in a variety of locations and formats. The Museum is committed to accessibility for all visitors. Our efforts are ongoing. To request an accommodation for an upcoming event, please contact the Museum in advance at spencerart@ku.edu or 785.864.4710.
February 16
Talk
SLOW ART SUNDAY SLOW ART SUNDAY: SCENES OF LIFE
2PM
– 3PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Michaelis Gallery
Spend time getting to know one great work of art through relaxed contemplation and guided conversation. In February, slow down with Clementine Hunter's painting "untitled (scenes of life)" in the "Empowerment" gallery.
February 17
Talk
ENGAGED READING: ROOTED BY BREA BAKER
3:30PM
– 4:30PM
Spencer Research Library, North Gallery, 1450 Poplar Ln
Participate in a discussion of Brea Baker’s book “Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership,” led Deborah Dandridge (Spencer Research Library), Phil Cunningham (Spencer Research Library), and Imani Wadud (American Studies). This talk is part of a series inspired by the KU Reads / Common Book program and curated with goals of generous and generative conversation.
February 18
Talk
IN NEW ORLEANS EVERYONE IS A QUEEN!
12PM
– 1PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Michaelis Gallery
All hail the queen! Learn about the culture and style of New Orleans Mardi Gras royalty through artworks on view. We’ll examine the clothing in the painting "Maria Maddalena, Grand Duchess of Tuscany" and Fabergé jewelry. After the talk, join us for a Mardi Gras edition of Textile Tuesday from 1:00–3:00PM.
February 27
Talk
CHOOSING RADICAL TRANSPARENCY: OPEN ACCESS INITIATIVES AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
1PM
– 2:30PM
Burge Union, Forum D, 1565 Irving Hill Rd
Why should museums share as much material as possible and how does this amplify their roles in society? nikhil trivedi, director of engineering at the Art Institute of Chicago, addresses these questions and talks through the achievements the Art Institute has made in open access.
March 02
Talk
EYES ON THE ART: A STROLL WITH MUSEUM SECURITY
2PM
– 3PM
Spencer Museum of Art,
When your job is to protect and preserve art for generations to come, you spend hours treading the galleries and taking in every detail. Join Security Officer Suzanne Huffman and Director Saralyn Reece Hardy for a unique tour of the Museum's collection galleries. Both will highlight some of their favorite works in the collection and the stories behind them.
March 07
Talk
ROSE B. SIMPSON ARTIST TALK
2PM
– 3PM
Kansas Union, Alderson Auditorium, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd
Hear from visionary artist Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo), whose work Maria is included in our exhibition Bold Women. Simpson credits a long line of female Tewa artists as influences on her work, which integrates ancestral Pueblo pottery traditions with metalwork, automotive design, performance, installation, music, and creative writing.
March 09
Talk
SLOW ART SUNDAY STEEL WOOL PEIGNOIR
2PM
– 3PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Simons Gallery
Spend time getting to know one great work of art through relaxed contemplation and guided conversation. In March, slow down with Mimi Smith's "Steel Wool Peignoir" in our "Bold Women" exhibition.
March 12
Talk
MARY SIBANDE ARTIST TALK
3PM
– 4PM
Kansas Union, Alderson Auditorium, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd
Join us for a talk by International Artist-in-Residence Mary Sibande, whose work is included in our exhibition “Bold Women.” Sibande is visiting from Johannesburg, South Africa to create a site-specific installation for the exhibition in collaboration with KU students and faculty. Q&A will follow the talk.
March 26
Talk
MOTION AND MEANING: ART BEYOND CONFLICT WITH ARTIST SHIVA AHMADI
6PM
– 7:30PM
Kansas Union, Woodruff Auditorium, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd
Shiva Ahmadi is a multidisciplinary artist born in Iran and based in California whose work addresses issues of migration, war, and brutality against marginalized people. Following a screening of her animations, Ahmadi will be joined in conversation by Razi Ahmad (Peace and Conflict Studies) and David Cateforis (Art History).
March 27
Talk
SENIOR SESSION BOLD WOMEN
10:15AM
– 11AM
Spencer Museum of Art, Perkins Central Court
Join Curator Susan Earle to learn about "Bold Women," which features more than 80 works in an array of mediums by primarily contemporary artists. The exhibition explores the ways that women have pushed the boundaries of art and spurred critical social and cultural change across generations and geographies. Senior Sessions are designed with accommodations for older adults and open to all.
April 10
Talk
SENIOR SESSION ETERNAL SPRING CERAMICS
10:15AM
– 11AM
Spencer Museum of Art, Lee Study Center
Join Curator Kris Ercums to learn about "Eternal Spring," an exhibition of unique East Asian ceramics from the Weare-West Family Trust. Senior Sessions are designed with accommodations for older adults and open to all.
April 10
Talk
ENGAGED READING: A FIELD GUIDE TO CLIMATE ANXIETY BY SARAH JAQUETTE RAY
3PM
– 4PM
Ecumenical Campus Ministries (ECM), 1204 Oread Ave
Participate in a discussion of Sarah Jaquette Ray’s book “A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety,” led Ali Brox (Environmental Studies) and Melinda Lewis (Social Welfare). This talk is part of a series inspired by the KU Reads / Common Book program and curated with goals of generous and generative conversation.
April 18
Talk
KANDACE CREEL FALCÓN ARTIST TALK
3PM
– 4PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Perkins Central Court
Join KU alums Kandace Creel Falcón and Lena Mose-Vargas for a discussion of Chicanx feminism and a pair of paintings by Falcón featured in the "Bold Women" exhibition.
April 27
Talk
SLOW ART SUNDAY WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE
2PM
– 3PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Kress Gallery
Spend time getting to know one great work of art through relaxed contemplation and guided conversation. In April, slow down with the painting "We Who Are About to Die" by William Fleming in the "Illumination" gallery.
May 01
Talk
CONVERSATION 5: GENDER AND SEXUALITY
5:30PM
– 6:30PM
Spencer Museum of Art, Brosseau Learning Center
Join Curators Susan Earle and Kris Ercums and Deputy Director Celka Straughn to learn about how we collect works by women and LGBTQ+ artists. Q&A follows the presentation. This is the fifth in a series of public conversations about the Museum’s collection, exhibitions, and programs.
May 08
Talk
CUB SCOUT PACK 3370 TIGER DEN (1ST GRADE)
6:30PM
– 7:30PM
Spencer Museum of Art,
What you would like to experience on this visit? Collection Highlights Special Requests Tiger scouts have an adventure called Stories in Shapes that has a requirement to explore art in our community and look closely at art with our den to discuss what we like about the art. You can learn more here: https://www.scouting.org/cub-scout-adventures/stories-in-shapes/. I'd like our visit to the art museum to expose the Tigers (1st graders) to different art and have them talk about what they like about the art.
May 22
Talk
SENIOR SESSION ART PROVENANCE
10:15AM
– 11AM
Spencer Museum of Art, Brosseau Learning Center
How do works of art make their way into museum collections, and how do we discover more about their history? Learn about the process of provenance research and transparency in museum collections from doctoral student in history Nicole Dean. Senior Sessions are designed with accommodations for older adults and open to all.