APRIL 28, 2022, ST. JOSEPH, MI — Art lovers rejoice, Krasl Art Center brings events and experiences to fill your summer itinerary. The non-profit art center kicks off three exhibitions on May 21, each one offering unique experiences. The three exhibitions on view will be ‘Rethinking Monuments: American Sculpture in its time, 1850-2000’ in The Galleries; ‘The Art of Egg Prize’ in The Lab; and ‘KAC’s New Biennial: 2022 Invitational’ throughout Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, plus a new sculpture in the East Garden on KAC’s grounds. All programs and the center are FREE & open to the public.
NEW EXHIBITIONS
In ‘Rethinking Monuments,’ a collection of artworks from the Detroit Institute of Arts, Krasl Art Center, Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum frame the history and reception of monumental American sculpture, allowing space for re-negotiation of the histories, ideas, and legacies they embody. Artists include Hiram Powers, Harriet Frishmuth, Paul Manship, Alexander Calder, Claes Oldenburg, Richard Hunt, and Melvin Edwards, among others. The exhibition, on-view May 21 – August 28, will be held in KAC’s main gallery. This exhibition is one in a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional partnership formed by the Detroit Institute of Arts as part of the Art Bridges Initiative.
While KAC’s main gallery features “monumental” artwork, ‘The Art of Egg Prize’ features artwork smaller in scale but certainly not in impact. ‘Egg Prize’ is an eight-foot-tall custom vending machine by Chicago artist David Kail that dispenses egg-shaped capsules filled with art, typically holding between 10,000 and 15,000 artworks! For 10 years, Kail has continually generated new original work for this massive project. How? Journey with KAC through ‘The Art of Egg Prize’ on view in The Lab through July 25 while ‘Egg Prize’ itself debuts in Benton Harbor as part of ‘KAC’s New Biennial: 2022 Invitational’.
The ‘New Biennial’ is a community-wide showcase of art outdoors. The exhibition fosters exploration and discovery, while celebrating originality and diversity in our creative community. Collaboration among Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, Berrien County Parks, and multiple arts and culture leaders brings the exhibition to life. While the event was originally focused solely on sculpture, new art experiences, site-specific guest curators, and new events will take place all summer long in this re-imagined series.
In the East Garden on KAC's grounds, Thomas Freier’s outdoor studio, ‘Art Dome’, will host classes and camps in addition to providing extra summer shade for visitors.
NEW EVENTS
The ‘New Biennial’ brings outdoor art experiences to the KAC grounds, The Box Factory for the Arts, the shoreline at Silver Beach County Park and the Arts District in Benton Harbor. The art includes sculpture, sound-based installation, an interactive art vending machine, and large-scale photographs. Visitors can learn more about the work on view, hear from select artists, and watch related videos online via KAC’s Sculpture Map.
Guest curators of ‘KAC’s New Biennial’ include artists Foster Willey and Guy Willey, brothers and designers of public spaces. Both grew up in this community and hold memories of KAC since childhood, where their father was a teaching artist. KAC is pleased the Willey brothers are working together again to curate the work of five Detroit-based artists on the sculpture pads at the Box Factory for the Arts.
Community members may recall one large bash to celebrate the biennial, but 2022 will host a series of intimate experiences. Monthly in-person programs will be at different sites throughout the summer, and online links, artist chats, and videos will be shared through KAC’s social media.
Some major events you do not want to miss include:
Saturday, May 21, 2 – 5 pm
A grand opening kickoff event will begin at 4 pm
Free and open to the public
*an excellent photo opportunity
Thursdays in June 12 pm
Thursday, June 16, 6 – 8 pm
Saturday, June 25, 1 – 4 pm
Free and open to the public
Tuesday, August 23
Free and open to the public at Silver Beach County Park
SPONSORSHIP
These events, programs, and art initiatives would not be possible without support from sponsors both within the community and beyond.
‘Rethinking Monuments: American Sculpture in its Time, 1850-2000’ is organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts, Krasl Art Center, Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum. This is one in a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional partnership formed by the Detroit Institute of Arts as part of the Art Bridges Initiative.
Krasl Art Center thanks the Exhibition Sponsors that make 2022 exhibitions and programs possible for our community: Huntington Bank, Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, 98.3 The Coast, RW LaPine, Tyler Automotive, Silver Beach Pizza, Kruggel Lawton CPAs, Boulevard Inn and Bistro, and ArtFX.
‘Krasl Art Center’s New Biennial: 2022 Invitational’ is sponsored by The John DeVries Insurance Agency. It is supported in partnership with The Box Factory for the Arts. This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest Gig Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is also made possible in part by a grant from the Berrien Community Foundation.
The East Garden is dedicated in Memory of Maria G. (Lupe) Hopp. 2022 installation sponsored by Horizon Bank and Daniel F. Hopp Family.
KAC thanks its members for their support of free art exhibitions. Learn more about how you can support KAC’s mission to ‘Inspire Meaningful Change and Strengthen Community through the Visual Arts’ at https://public.krasl.org/web/membership,
