KANSAS CITY, MO In observance of the uniquely Mexican holiday DÌa de los Muertos (ìDay of the Deadî) Mattie Rhodes Center is hosting multiple events and festivities this fall. DÌa de los Muertos encourages the living to honor and commemorate the dead by elaborately decorating grave sites, preparing special foods, and constructing commemorative altars in their homes designed to entice the spirits of the deceased to come back for a visit.

An installation exhibit of 23 ofrendas (altars) created by artists and community members to celebrate the lives of deceased loved ones will open on Oct. 7 for First Fridays with an evening reception at the Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery in the Westside neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. A second reception will be held for First Fridays on Nov. 4, and the exhibit will be on display through Nov. 12. The featured artist of the show, Hector Casanova (www.hectorcasanova.net), created a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork used as the event design on the DÌa de los Muertos posters.

The altars are one-of-a-kind creations decorated with flowers, religious amulets, candles, sugar sculptures, photographs, and belongings of the departed. The exhibit also features two-dimensional works by area artists inspired by this colorful Mexican cultural tradition.

ìWhat has struck me as Iíve been a part of Day of the Dead over the years is how this celebration brings together so many different people from different walks of life, since death is universal. Everyone shares in the same grief, regardless of language or culture or other differences. This shared experience helps tie us together and helps us to remember and celebrate those we have lost,î explains President/CEO John Fierro.

The agency will also hold its daylong DÌa de los Muertos Street Festival on October 8th. The festival, which takes place on 17th Street between Belleview and Madison Streets, will feature live entertainment, carnival games, a moonwalk, costume parade, delicious food, handmade art and gifts, face painting, art activities for children, and a jalapeÒo eating contest. Kansas Cityís longest running Day of the Dead festival will be hosted by emcees Manny Martinez and Viviana Medellin from Taste of Tejano KKFI and will showcase folkloric, capoeira, breakdancing, and other dance groups as well as local bands and a fashion show.

ìThis yearís DÌa de los Muertos exhibit and festival are going to be the best ever! We have some new things added to our list of events like a group car display consisting of altars in trunks put together by an all-woman car club, ëStilettos on Pedals,íî says Cultural Arts Director Jenny Mendez.

ìWe are really excited about this addition to our festival along with our featured local band that will end the night for us: Making Movies. They are making a special stop here in Kansas City to perform in the middle of their multiple city tour. Itís going to be great; you donít want to miss it!î

Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery will also offer a series of DÌa de los Muertos workshops on Saturdays, Oct. 15 and Nov. 12. Classes include ìDead Printz,î ìMini Altars,î and ìCollection of Calacas.î There is also a special new ìHowl at the MoonÖBecome Your Other Selfî workshop with artist and educator Dr. Richard Bay where participants make their own masks; the weekend of October 21-23, there is a session for adults on Friday evening and one on Saturday afternoon for children. Registrations and payments for workshop can be made by phone: (816) 221-2349.

The DÌa de los Muertos Art Exhibit will run Oct. 7 ñ Nov. 12 at the Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery (919 W. 17th Street; gallery hours: Tuesday ñ Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. -4 p.m.) with First Friday evening receptions on Oct. 7 and Nov. 4. The DÌa de los Muertos Street Festival will be held 1 ñ 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8 on 17th Street in front of the Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery.

Children, families, and all community members are invited to attend. Interested participants can register for the art workshops or schedule tour groups by calling (816) 221-2349. The festivities are funded by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, Missouri Arts Council, Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Francis Family Foundation, UMB, and others.

Founded in 1894, Mattie Rhodes Center bridges cultures and communities through arts, mental health and social services by providing culturally competent, bilingual services in a respectful and compassionate environment. The agency is a Midwest leader on Latino issues and cultural competency. For more information, please visit www.mattierhodes.org or call 816-471-2536.

Artist Talk: Petah Coyne

Friday, Sept. 23, 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Meeting Room

On the opening night of The Big Reveal, hear artist Petah Coyne talk about her work, including the Museum’s massive new acquisition.

Artist Talk: Susanne Kühn

Saturday, Sept. 24, 1–2 p.m. | Meeting Room

Hear German-born artist Susanne Kühn talk about her paintings, including the Museum’s new acquisition Regina arbeitet (2009).

ArtReach Workshop: I Collect

Saturday, Oct. 1, times vary

Children with and without developmental disabilities will explore the exhibition and discuss what it means to collect, and curate a mini exhibition from their own permanent collections. ArtReach is collaboration between the Museum and the Center for Child Health and Development at the University of Kansas Medical Center. For a full ArtReach schedule, visit www.kemperart.org. Registration is required. Call 816-457-6137 or email education@kemperart.org.

Tour and Workshop: Memories in the Making

Wednesdays, Oc. 12, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Meeting Room

In collaboration with Heart of America Alzheimer’s Association, the Museum invites individuals with memory loss for a conversation and creative workshop related to works on view. October’s workshop focuses on Acquisitions in Context: June Ahrens, and December’s on The Big Reveal. Prior art experience is not necessary. Registration is required. Contact 816-457-6134 or reservations@kemperart.org.

Scavenger Saturdays for Families

Saturdays, Oct. 15, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Special clues and questions will help children and adults discover works in The Big Reveal during this self-guided art adventure. Upon completion, kids receive a take-home art activity. Explore works of art every third Saturday of the month with Scavenger Saturdays.

Lecture: Stages of Memory in Berlin and New York After 9/11

Sunday, Oct. 23, 1:30 p.m. | Truman Forum at the Kansas City Public Library, Plaza Branch (4801 Main Street)

Authority on memorial architecture and former juror for the World Trade Center Memorial Site competition and Germany's national Holocaust Memorial, Dr. James E. Young offers a meditation on architecture’s capacity for reflecting evolving narratives and mediating public spaces and personal memories. Young is Professor of English and Judaic Studies and Director of the Institute for Holocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. The program is co-sponsored by the Kemper Museum, Kansas City Public Library, and Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. Tickets are free, but reservations are required through www.kclibrary.org or 816-701-3407.

Lavater’s Animals: Performance by Teri Frame with The Wires

Friday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m. Cash Bar, 6 p.m. Performance | Museum Atrium

Masking her face with raw clay, artist Teri Frame sculpts and re-sculpts her features to slip into a primal space and blur the distinctions between humans, birds, and beasts. The Wires’ Sascha Groschang, cello, and Laurel Morgan, violin, respond with a musical counterpart to Frame’s metamorphosis. Seating is first come, first served.

Lidia's Italian Restaurant in the old Kansas City Freight District has a beautiful upstairs event loft. Bryan Moses takes the reins again as producer of this The Living Room series, and continues to bring a unique experience to that space.

The Accidental Waiter is a theatrical event created by Alex Espy and Matt Weiss. Mark Lowrey returns on keyboard with his improvisational accompaniment. After a successful first run, this second time around the cast has expanded with the addition of Annie Cherry, Katie Gilchrist, and Damian Blake, joining Alan Tilson and Marty Honig, but alas, no Matt Weiss.

The show is directed by Alex Espy, creator of last summer's Alice in Wonderland at the Nelson Atkins Museum.

The show begins at 2:30 and runs August 20, 21, 27, 28, and September 3 & 4. Tickets are $20, for reservations call Lidia's at 816.221.3722. Lidia's address is 101 W 22nd St. KCMO.

Historic KC Baseball Team Highlights Speakers Series Presentation
Tuesday, July 26
6 p.m.; 5:30 reception
Free
Our beloved Kansas City Royals may
be having a rough season, but Kansas City has not been devoid of great baseball teams. Learn about one of Kansas City's historic teams, the 1923 Kansas City Blues team, at Kansas City Museum's Community Curator Speaker Series July 26 at 6 p.m. at Union Station. RSVP by clicking here.

Museum Kids Summer Drop-InsWednesdays and Fridays in July
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Free
There are only two weeks left for our
Museum Kids Summer Drop Ins! History comes alive with games, arts and crafts
and so much more! And its Free! On July 20 & 22, you and your children will travel under our wisteria-laced pergola and begin to create your own "Secret Garden."

And on July 27 & 29, bring your happy faces because we'll be playing games the whole time! We'll play croquet, bocce, board games and even play in a bouncy house!

For more details click here.

Families to Discover Ice Cream History at Family Fun Day
Sunday, August 7
Noon-4 p.m.
Free
In 1955, the world was blown
away when the first Bomb Pop
was invented on Independence
Avenue. Today, the Bomb Pop is one of the most popular frozen confections ever created. Learn about the history of ice cream, snow cones, and the sweet tastes of summer through games, arts and crafts and more at Kansas City Museum's August First Sunday Family Fun Day, Sunday August 7 from noon-4 p.m.
For more information click here.

Witnesses to the Holocaust: Liberation and After

Thursday, June 23rd at 7:30 p.m.
Jewish Community Campus
Social Hall
5801 West 115th Street
Overland Park, Kansas
 
Using the testimonies of local Holocaust survivors and liberators, along with archival and personal photos and maps, this film describes the end of the war, the liberation of the camps, and the survivors' efforts to build new lives in new homes. The film is age-appropriate for grades 7 through adult. It will be followed by a question and answer session, facilitated by Dr. Fran Sternberg, MCHE's Director of University Programs and Adult Education.  A light reception will follow the film.

Reservations are requested for planning purposes - (913) 327-8196 or rsvp@mchekc.org. 

To purchase copies of DVDs featured in MCHE's 18th Anniversary Film Series, 
visit our online store.

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The Eichmann Trial - Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt

Wednesday, June 29th at 6:30 p.m.
Reception at 6:00 p.m.
Kansas City Public Library
Plaza Branch
4801 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri

Emory University historian Deborah Lipstadt examines the May 1960 capture of SS Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Eichmann by Israeli agents in Argentina and his subsequent trial that captured the world's attention. In her presentation, Lipstadt will also provide an overview of the trial itself (which took place 50 years ago) and analyze the dramatic effect that the survivors' courtroom testimonies had on a world that had until then regularly commemorated the Holocaust but never fully understood it.

The lecture is made possible in part by funding from Lawrence and Donna Gould Cohen and Martha Gershun and Don Goldman and is co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Center and the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education.

Admission is free. RSVP online or call (816) 701-3407.

For additional information on this program, please visit mchekc.org
or read this article from the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle.

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Auschwitz in the Courtroom 
Dr. Robert Jan van Pelt

Tuesday, July 19th at 7:30 p.m.
Jewish Community Campus
Social Hall
5801 West 115th Street
Overland Park, Kansas

The world's leading authority on Auschwitz, Dr. van Pelt served as an expert witness in Deborah Lipstadt's successful defense in the libel suit brought against her by Holocaust denier David Irving in 2000. The author of numerous books and articles, he is a professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

Admission is free. Seating is limited - complimentary advance tickets are required. Call (913) 327-8196 or email rsvp@mchekc.org. 
Tickets are also available at the MCHE office on the Jewish Community Campus.

For more information, please visit mchekc.org.

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James McDonald and the Refugee Crisis: 1933 - 1946 - Dr. Severin Hochberg

Thursday, July 21st at 7:00 p.m.
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
500 West U.S. Highway 24
Independence, Missouri
 
Dr. Hochberg, co-editor of Refugees and Rescue, will discuss the private diaries of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's advisor and confidant, James G. McDonald, chairman of Franklin D. Roosevelt's advisory committee on refugees from May 1938 until nearly the end of the war. The writings offer and unique and hitherto unknown insight into the early history of the Nazi regime and the Roosevelt administration's reactions to Nazi persecution of German Jews. Although McDonald's efforts to transfer those otherwise doomed were hampered by the pervasive antisemitic attitudes of those years, fears about security, and changing presidential wartime priorities, tens of thousands did find haven. 

Dr. Hochberg, a historian formerly at the Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, teaches at George Washington University, where he specializes in refugee issues during the Holocaust.

A book signing and reception will follow the program.

Admission is free, but reservations are strongly suggested as space is limited. 
Please call (816) 268-8200 to reserve your seats today.

Drinks, hors d'oeuvres and cabaret-style entertainment from the cast of the Coterie's production of The Wiz. Auction featuring package experiences from near and far.

Co-Chairs: Mike Enos, Ed Stevens & Jenny Atterbury

For information, contact Patrick Yount atpyount@coterietheatre.org
or (816) 474-6785, x 236

Enroll Online for Summer Art Camp!

Meredith Host Wins People's Choice Award!

Last Week, Red Star Studios exhibiting artist Meredith Host was voted
Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist of 2011.

Congratulations Meredith!
Read her interview here!
Check out Meredith's work in our online shop!

May is National Bicycle Month!

Kip O'Krongly, Red Star Studios Artist of the Month, has bicycle themed dinnerware available in our online shop!

Classes Start June 4, Enroll Online!

Ehren Tool Pays Homage to Vets Through Installation

Ehren Tool, Various Cups, Stoneware, dimensions vary. Image courtesy of the Artist

Red Star Studios features over 200 cups by Ehren Tool created during a trip to Vietnam made possible with contributions from the Kansas City Artists Coalition and the Lighton International Artists Exchange Program. The exhibition runs until May 28, 2011.
Tool is a former U.S. Marine who served in the Gulf War. A portion of the proceeds will go to Roots For Peace and The Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign, organizations that assist Vietnam Veterans.

Closing Soon: Wendell Castle & Arabesques

Left: Wendell Castle, Topeka Clock, 2009, Polychromed fiberglass, 99 3/4 x 66 3/4 x 39 inches, Edition 2 of 8, Image and Clock Courtesy of Barry Friedman Ltd. NY, NY. Right: Sanam Emami, Trivets, Dark stoneware, silk-screened transfers, 6" width each. Photograph Courtesy of the Artist.

Belger Arts Center's current exhibitions are closing June 4th. Be sure to visit before it's too late!

Check out an exhibit of recent works by the incomparable Wendell Castle. Castle, a native of Emporia, Kansas, and graduate of the University of Kansas, has been recognized as one of America's top artist/designers for nearly five decades.

View new installations by Sanam Emami and Sarah Gross. Both artists utilize repeating patterns and design from Islamic culture as a decorative tool for social connectivity. Arabesquesis a Red Star Studios collaboration with the Belger Arts Center. Read more about the exhibition here!

In collaboration with Red Star Studios, a FREE hands-on activity is available to school groups and organizations with tours of the Wendell Castle exhibit. For more information, please call 816-474-3250 or visit www.belgerartscenter.org

Check out the latest article on Castle!

Monday Night Discussion Group
Monday, June 6
8pm
Every First & Third Monday

Open to artists and enthusiasts alike. Join us for an hour long discussion on topics in the contemporary art world. After, the conversation will continue with an optional "Happy Hour" at a local pub.

Follow Us on Facebook & Twitter!

Wed – Fri: 10am - 4pm, Sat: 12pm - 4pm, 1st Friday: 6pm - 9pm
2100 Walnut St, Kansas City, MO 64108 - (816) 474-7316
www.RedStarStudios.org

Saturday, May 28

 
Special Exhibition:
Following My Grandfather’s World War I Diary, A Photographic Journey
May 28 – September 5
 
This photography exhibition in Memory Hall is drawn from the numerous trips to Europe made by photographer and writer, Jeff Lowdermilk. 24 vibrant color photographs follow the wartime journey of his grandfather through France and into Germany during the Allied Occupation. The exhibition highlightsAmerica’s cemeteries and monuments in France, and illustrates the legacy of sacrifice of America’s servicemen and women in World War I. This photographic journey honors the memory of those American heroes. A companion book, Following My Grandfather’s World War I Diary, A Photographic Journey, will be available in the Museum Store. Admission to the special exhibition is included with regular admission to the National World War I Museum.
 
Free Lecture:
Following My Grandfather’s World War I Diary, A Photographic Journey
Sat., May 28, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
 
Photographer and writer Jeff Lowdermilk will give an illustrated talk to accompany his exhibition in Memory Hall. The theme chronicles America’s involvement in the Great War and the U.S. Army’s Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives in the fall of 1918. The story focuses on the 353rd Infantry Regiment, 89th Division in which Lowdermilk’s grandfather served. Each program will last approximately 45 minutes followed by a Q&A session. This free event will take place in the Museum’s J.C. Nichols Auditorium.
 
Free lecture:
History of the Medal of Honor
Sat., May 28, 1 p.m.
 
The Museum will host a special program on the history of the Medal of Honor, presented by James H. Willbanks, PhD, General of the Army George C. Marshall Chair of Military History and Director Department of Military History U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. This free event will take place in the Museum’s J.C. Nichols Auditorium and is co-sponsored by the Kansas City Public Library and the Command and General Staff College Foundation.
 

Sunday, May 29

 
Vintage Military Vehicle Display
Sun., May 29, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
 
The Military Vehicle Preservation Association “Hell on Wheels” Chapter will display vintage military vehicles on the Museum’s southeast lawn. Chapter members will be available to answer questions about their collection. Displays will include vehicles from World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
 
Bank of America Celebration at the Station
Sun., May 29
 
Presented by Bank of America, the Kansas City Symphony, led by Music Director Michael Stern, will perform patriotic favorites against the backdrop ofKansas City’s historic Union Station. The event will conclude with blazing fireworks above the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial –Kansas City’s largest fireworks display of the year! Additionally, the Honoring Our History traveling museum will be on display for the public to view (see below). This free event will take place on the north lawn of the Museum.
 
“Honoring Our History” Traveling Museum Unveiled
Sun., May 29
 
The Museum and Waddell & Reed will preview their traveling World War I gallery for the “Honoring Our History” tour. A custom 18-wheel “big rig” truck has been transformed into a traveling gallery, complete with artifacts, videos and an authentic walk-through trench. This free, interactive and educational experience will visit 75 U. S. cities over the next year. The truck will be parked in front of Union Station and open to the public during the first half of Celebration at the Station.
 

Monday, May 30

 
Memorial Day Ceremony
Mon., May 30, 9:30 a.m.
 
The Memorial Day ceremony takes place on the south side of the Museum. The ceremony begins with a color guard parade and includes performances by the American Legion Band, dedication of the newly-installed Walk of Honor bricks by Missouri’s Poet Laureate David Clewell, and speeches paying tribute to the day’s significance. Former Congressman Ike Skelton will give the keynote address. The Museum will open immediately following the ceremony (approximately 11 a.m.). Regular Museum admission fees apply.
 
The Honoring Our History traveling museum will also be available to view after the ceremony.
 
Free parking and shuttle service are available on May 30 from parking lots at Grand & 27th Streets from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. This event is supported by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund.
 
Vintage Military Vehicle Display
Mon., May 30, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
 
The Military Vehicle Preservation Association “Hell on Wheels” Chapter will display vintage military vehicles on the Museum’s southeast lawn. Chapter members will be available to answer questions about their collection. Displays will include vehicles from World War II, Korea and Vietnam.