The scrapbooks and time travel are exercises to expand consciousness, to teach me how to think in association blocks rather than words.

William S. Burroughs, 1966

Lawrence, KS, January 9, 2014 – The Spencer Museum of Art joins the city of Lawrence in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of William S. Burroughs. From February 4-16, the Museum will be sharing a choice selection of works by the author as well as his close friends and collaborators.

Lawrence, KS, January 14, 2014 – Christian relics are most commonly assumed to be bones of saints, but the most powerful and desirable of all relics within the Christian world are those associated with the Passion story. These relics, including what is known as the True Cross, will be the subject of this year’s Franklin D. Murphy Lecture, delivered by Hunter College Professor of Art History Cynthia Hahn on Thursday, January 23 at 5:30 pm.

Lawrence, KS, January 21, 2014 – The call for entries for the 5th round of Rocket Grants—providing direct support for innovative, artist-driven projects that take place outside of established arts venues—is now open. Artists interested in applying are invited to attend an information session at The Commons at KU on Monday, February 3 to gain a clearer understanding of the types of projects the program funds and to benefit from the experience of past recipient Jarrett Mellenbruch.

Lawrence, KS, January 24, 2014 – This afternoon, in the first investiture ceremony to take place on KU’s Lawrence campus in the history of the school,Saralyn Reece Hardy was officially named the inaugural recipient of the Spencer Museum of Art Marilyn Stokstad Directorship. Today’s ceremony honored and thanked the donor, Dr.

Lawrence, KS, October 17, 2013 – Widely regarded as one of the top university art museums in the nation, the Spencer Museum of Art is pleased to announce the first phase of a facility renovation and expansion, updating the Museum’s current facility to meet the needs of today’s most ambitious artists, students, researchers, and audiences while accommodating the more than 250% growth of the Spencer’s collections since 1978, when the building opened to the public.

Lawrence, KS, February 11, 2014 – One maintains an international studio practice spanning Japan and Indonesia. The other is local, a Kansas native working with regionally specific themes and motifs. One has perfected the art of textural geometric abstraction. The other creates narrative work dense with imagery and symbolism. The Spencer Museum is showing their work together in Personal Geometry: Quilts by Yoshiko Jinzenji & Virginia Jean Cox Mitchell, on view through May 18, 2014.

Lawrence, KS, April 29, 2014 – The Jack and Lavon Brosseau Creativity Awards recognize outstanding creativity and originality among University of Kansas undergraduate students. Open to students in any department for writing and multimedia projects, the awards honor work that demonstrates risk-taking and critical thinking.

Lawrence, KS, May 15, 2014 – As the Spencer Museum’s celebrated exhibition “James Turrell: Gard Blue” draws to a close, the Museum is pleased to announce that collectors Mark and Lauren Booth have donated a significant work of art by internationally renowned light artist James Turrell. Mark Booth, an alumnus of the University of Kansas, and Lauren Booth, an artist, loaned “Gard Blue” as the centerpiece for the Spencer’s 9-month exhibition, and have announced their intent to donate the work, making it a part of the Spencer Museum’s permanent collection.

Rocket Grants, a program of Charlotte Street Foundation and the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas, awards $54,000 to 10 grant recipients for 2014.

by acclaimed architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners

On Thursday evening, architects from internationally renowned design firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners (founded by celebrated architect I.M. Pei) will unveil their design for Phase I of a major renovation and expansion of the Spencer Museum of Art. Phase I, scheduled to begin in spring of 2015, will encompass an extensive renovation of more than 15,000 square feet of the Spencer’s interior spaces.