Missouri Art Now: A Bicentennial Celebration
On the occasion of its Bicentennial, it is important to recognize that Missouri has been, and remains, a significiant site for visual artistic production. The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau, Hannibal Arts Council, Post Art Library and Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, and the Albrecht-Kemper Museum in Saint Joseph are collaborating to create Missouri Art Now, an exhibition featuring sixty works from artists throughout the State of Missouri, together demonstrating the vibrant visual arts culture in the state. The exhibition is scheduled for March – November 2021 and will be spending time in each sponsoring site. The dates are as follows:
The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau: March 5 – March 27, 2021
The Center for Missouri Studies (SHSMO) in Columbia: April 9 – May 15, 2021
Post Art Library & Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin: May 28 – July 17, 2021
Hannibal Arts Council in Hannibal: July 24 – September 4, 2021
Albrecht-Kemper Museum in Saint Joseph: September 18 – November 7, 2021
Missouri Remembers: Artists in Missouri 1821-1951
In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the State of Missouri, The Spencer Art Reference Library of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in partnership with the Kansas City Art Institute and The St. Louis Public Library will create a free, online resource that documents the artists who lived in, or spent part of their careers within, the State of Missouri from its beginning in 1821 to 1951. Project partners will mine their artist files and archival collections to create individual records that describe each artist’s life and practice. The resulting online resource will allow anyone interested in learning more about Missouri’s artistic traditions to explore lesser-known artists and iconic figures, such as Thomas Hart Benton and George Caleb Bingham.
Whether you’re a collector, a teacher, a researcher or just love all things related to the “Show-Me” state Missouri Remembers: Artists in Missouri 1821 – 1951 is your gateway to exploring the artists of Missouri! The online artist biographical dictionary is currently in development with the goal of launching a searchable online database in early 2021. Get involved by regularly checking back to the project site and using the contact link to share information about Missouri’s artists.
Missouri Remembers has been made possible through funding from the Missouri Humanities Council and from the National Endowment for the Humanities.