Blog @ the Nelson-Atkins

With all the recent snow in Kansas City, one might think that the Sculpture Park hasn't seen to much activity lately.

Well, I can't confirm it but there are rumors that dozens of children used the east side of the grounds for sledding and other winter games last week. With school cancelled throughout the metro area, the Park was packed with kiddos, parents and even some furry friends.

Personally, I prefer the Sculpture Park in any season but winter. Unless I am behind the glass of the Bloch Building with a beverage of choice in hand. But I'm glad the Park is able to provide entertainment all through the year.

Although the Quixotic: Surface performance has passed, many thoughts surrounding this dramatic, site-specific installation continue to surface (ha!).

Personally, I was fascinated by the way in which each performance explored various conceptual and literal forms of surface. The interplay between the dancers and features of the building, in combination with a dynamic musical composition and wall graphics activated a multi-sensory experience unique to the Nelson-Atkins audience. I have to say – I will never look at the Nelson-Atkins building the same again!

Leave us a comment on the blog and let us know what you enjoyed about the show.

Read more about visitor’s reactions to the musicians, dancers, aerialists, composers, designers and choreographers who provided a beautiful production inspired by the Nelson-Atkins architecture.

“The dancing was fluid and beautifully choreographed. I particularly enjoyed watching two young boys entranced by the dancing. Even from my vantage point I could tell that they were totally amazed by what they were seeing. Also, I cannot count the number of people I watched walk by, or rather “bounce” by as they created a dance to the music they heard.” – Melissa Kleindl

“A remarkable expression of the human form as living art.” – Zak Jepson

“Spectacle of lights and dance: Quixotic @nelson-atkins lawn, great show” – jessdawn (via twitter)

Comments from our Facebook fans. Become a Fan here!

“The performance was beautiful…I need to spend more time at the Museum, I wasn’t really aware of any outdoor events, so I’m keeping my eyes open” – Ellen Knock Collins

“I enjoyed it very much, wish the stage was a just a little more elevated though.” – Cat Henry

“Incredible show! One of the best things I’ve seen in KC in a long time. Please do it again next year!” – Kevin Sink

“It was wonderful…beautiful music and dancing.” – Stephanie Finkelstein

“Every aspect was great! Excellent finale…loved the animation on the museum wall.” Rachel Yeakley

“It was fabulous – hope they do a show at the Nelson every year!!!!” – Toni Anne Straws

“This was my second time seeing a Quixotic performance and I plan on going to everyone. I am always amazed by the talent of your performers! Amazing! Five star ”- Paul Bukowski

“Unbelievably beautiful – the walls of the Bloch and neoclassic buildings as a canvas painted by breathtaking!” Merry Quackenbush

Today is the first day of fall which means the Kansas City Sculpture Park will soon take on a whole new ambiance.

The leaves on the ginko trees will turn vibrant yellow and the Autumn Joy Sedum will bloom on the terrace of the Bloch Building.

Last week I had a chance to walk through the Park and catch the tail end of summer and a hint of fall's arrival.

A group of volunteers from FRD Communications, Inc. helped apply wax to Standing Figures (Thirty Figures) one day last week. FRD Communications gives employees two days per year to volunteer and this work group choose to help the Nelson-Atkins.

First, they got their directions from Conservation Associate Joe Rogers and Sculpture Technician Anna Zimmerman.

Then they got to work applying wax to the figures with paintbrushes. The wax acts as a protective barrier from the elements and nature (especially human nature). Most of the sculptures in the Park receive a fresh coat of wax once a year.

I think it was definitely better than spending the afternoon at work.

If you have a group of colleagues or friends who would like to volunteer at the Nelson-Atkins, please contact our manager of volunteer services, Mary Beth Sloan, at volunteer@nelson-atkins.org or 816.751.1307.

The Museum’s Education Office has a fantastic view of one of Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s Shuttlecocks. I’m used to catching glimpses of people doing all sorts of things near the birdie, but the scene I witnessed yesterday was a first -- someone was scrubbing the sculpture!

The seventy-degree spring weather was perfect for such an endeavor (rumor has it that this activity inevitably falls on the hottest day of the year), and the Conservation crew of Paul Benson, Joe Rogers and Robert Krueger graciously indulged my gawking and picture-taking. I’m a confirmed acrophobic, so the nearly twenty-foot tall scaffolding gave new meaning to the phrase “suffering for their art”, and the large scrub brush reminded me of the life-sized toothbrushes used to beat back the Cavity Creeps.

After descending safely from his perch, Robert described the cleaning process via e-mail:

“Once a year our Senior Associate Conservator Paul Benson leads an annual cleaning of Shuttlecocks. We use a solution of Orvus paste in water. Orvus paste is a very mild soap and is also known as Sodium lauryl sulfate, most commonly found in shampoo, shaving foams, toothpaste and other hygiene products.

We use soft brushes and our Orvus paste to clean the entire surface, removing grime, bird guano and insect frass [author’s note: I had to look that one up. Frass = bug poo]. Once we have cleaned the sculpture, the entire surface is rinsed with clean water.

The most difficult part is reaching the sculpture. We use a combination of ladders, scaffolding and a ladder specially designed for Shuttlecocks to reach every part of the sculpture. It takes 3 people almost an entire day to clean one.”

Squarely in its adolescence, Shuttlecocks gets much love these days, which is a departure from the past. According to Tyler Green’s Modern Art Notes, “There is probably no work of public art that’s more fun than Shuttlecocks.” Literally thousands of photographs have been recorded for posterity (some of my faves here, here and here), and with the annual efforts of our Conservation staff, it will continue to spark adoration and consternation for years to come.

For additional insight into the creation and conservation of these iconic Kansas City sculptures, join Curator Jan Schall and Conservator Paul Benson on Friday, May 29 in Atkins Auditorium.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the conservation going on for the Henry Moore sculpture Upright Motive. The sculpture was reinstalled in the Kansas City Sculpture Park on Monday, and I got a few details from Robert, the Conservation Intern I spoke to last time.

Minor scratches and abrasions sometimes occur on the sculptures, and when Upright Motive underwent conservation treatment in the 1980s, the conservator inpainted a few of these areas to make them less noticeable and help restore the original appearance of the sculpture. Inpainting is meant to be reversible and removeable, so when the Incralac protective coating was removed this time, the old inpainting came off with it. Robert said the most challenging part of the entire process was carefully redoing this inpainting to match the bronze and green tones of Moore’s sculpture.

The final steps included applying Incralac to the entire sculpture—except its base—with an air sprayer and then covering the Incralac with a less durable coat of wax. If people climbed or stepped on the base of the sculpture, the Incralac might come off in large chunks, so the base only has a coat of wax. Conservators apply a coat of wax to the entire sculpture twice a year, but they will pay extra attention to the base.

Looking at the before and after shots of Upright Motive, it’s clear that the conservation crew did a great job sprucing up this beautiful sculpture. Our web site also includes three more case studies about the conservation of KCSP pieces, including Shuttlecocks, the focus of our newest exhibition.

Jodi wrote last week about the deinstallation and conservation treatment of Henry Moore's bronze sculpture Upright Motive. I visited the objects conservation lab at the Museum today to check in on the sculpture.

Robert, our Conservation Intern, led me into the spray booth, a small room where objects are treated. Even though Moore's sculpture is huge, the first thing I saw was a glittering collection of silver from our Decorative Arts collection. Robert said he had been polishing the silver for weeks, but it's finally ready to go on display and probably won't need treatment again for another 10 years!

It was a little sad to see Moore's sculpture away from its natural habitat in the Kansas City Sculpture Park, but Robert explained to me all the work he would be putting into it over the next several weeks. Many of the sculptures outside are protected by a coating called Incralac and another coating of wax. The Incralac can stand up to the environment for years, but eventually it wears away and leaves the art open to corrosion.

Using organic solvents, Robert will remove the Incralac and thoroughly clean the sculpture before applying a new protective coating. Natural oxidation has transformed the copper tone of the sculpture into a beautiful dark green, but small patches of the sculpture have turned an unpleasant teal color (like a really old penny). Robert's work will return these areas to their former color.

There's one big challenge, though. The sculpture weighs 1200 lbs., and Robert has to figure out a way to roll it over safely so he can clean every side! I can only lift about 50 lbs, or I'd offer to help.

I took a break from the office last week to enjoy the beautiful weather in the Kansas City Sculpture Park. All over, there were people eating, sketching, playing with their dogs, and taking naps.

Most people enjoy the rolling grass of the central lawn, but today I decided to take the path that wraps around the Bloch Building. First I came upon Ursula von Rydingsvard’s sculpture Three Bowls. The label says von Rydingsvard works without models or drawings, instead letting the piece develop organically as she creates it. The label also compares this work to a group of rocky cliffs, and it struck me after reading this how well the sculpture seems to fit into the landscape and trees of the garden.

If you’re looking for a little privacy, the grassy spaces between each of the five glass lenses of the building are wonderful nooks for a picnic or reading. Here you can see pieces like Tony Cragg’s Ferryman and Turbo while looking out over the rest of the Sculpture Park below.

The weather forecast is warm and sunny this week, so come out and enjoy the art and the outdoors. If it rains, you can always go inside and see our newest exhibition, The Photographs of Homer Page.

One sure sign that spring is on its way is when maintenance begins on objects in the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

A lot of the work is done en plein air by our sculpture technician who walks around the Sculpture Park with materials to clean and protect the objects from the forces of nature and humanity.

This year, one of the large sculptures by British sculptor Henry Moore is getting a little extra TLC. Recently, Upright Motive was removed from its location on the western side of the Park and taken inside the Museum to be treated in the objects conservation lab.

The process went smoothly but was quite a sight. The sculpture was first removed from its platform and hoisted by a crane onto a flatbed truck parked on the street nearby. The sculpture was strapped to the truck and driven about a half a block north to the Museum's loading dock. It was removed from the truck and taken into the Museum and straight down the hall to the lab.

Here are some pictures.

Fall is my favorite season in the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

Of course spring is also lovely and oh, early summer is quite nice too. In fact, winter is beautiful when there is a fresh blanket of snow under a bright blue sky and yellow sun. Ok, I guess there is never a bad time to visit the Sculpture Park (or the Nelson-Atkins for that matter).

But for today, at this very moment, fall is my favorite. Especially with vistas like this. Come enjoy the scenery!

I remember my first summer job at a department store. It was air conditioned but it wasn't very exciting. Of course, I didn't live near a Museum like the Nelson-Atkins that offers teen agers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a Teen Guide. The job consists mainly of leading groups of children on tours of the Museum, including the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

Yesterday was a busy day for the Teen Guides. I noticed several groups within a stone's throw of one another on the north plaza. One was discussing Shuttlecocks, another was investigating One Sun / 34 Moons and the final group was exploring Rush Hour.

The group above was just about to launch their own shuttlecocks at the guide. After they threw the birdies, the guide asked the kids to look at how they had landed. The children noted they had landed on the noses. However, the Shuttlecock they were viewing is positioned on the other end, balanced precariously on the edge of a feather.

Here in the Midwest, we measure summer by the weather, not the calendar. Memorial Day weekend and the end of school indicate summer for many. The rise of the thermometer into the 80's and 90's indicates it for others.

However, since today is officially the first day of summer, I would like to take a moment to reflect on ways to spend the longest day of the year a la David Letterman.

Here are the Top Ten Ways to Celebrate the First Day of Summer at the Nelson-Atkins.

10. Grab a picnic, a friend, a dog, a Frisbee, a book or just your self and be one with nature in the Kansas City Sculpture Park.
9. When you get tired of sweating, go inside the Museum to enjoy a cool drink in the Museum Cafe.
8. Enjoy the sunset as it reflects against the Bloch Building.
7. Watch enviously as the ducks swim around the reflecting pool that contains Walter De Maria's One Sun/34 Moons.
6. Sit in the Bloch Building lobby and watch the light change as clouds drift by overhead.
5. Stand in the Museum's parking garage and watch the light dance from the reflecting pool above.
4. Wait for the lights to come on the Bloch Building and stay as out late as you want.
3. Keep track of all the works of art that contain snow, water, sunshine or all of the above.
2. Walk on the roof of the Bloch Building and reflect on the fact that you are standing above priceless works of art.

And the number 1 way to enjoy the first day of summer at the Nelson-Atkins:
1. We're open until 9 p.m.

The Kansas City Sculpture Park is a popular destination in KC. People love to come out in all kinds of weather to walk on the paths, have picnics or play with their kids/dogs/Frisbees. The south lawn is a great spot to people watch on busy days.

Yesterday, I had the chance to visit part of the Park that I haven't been to in a while. The very southeast corner where Rockhill Road and Emmanual Cleaver II Boulevard meet is one of the only areas of the Park that wasn't affected as much by the construction of the Bloch Building. It was quite distressing to see all the trees that had to be removed during the construction so I was pleased to see this beauty (above) standing proudly.

The area is technically called the East Hill and it contains a handful of scultpures by Henry Moore including Sheep Piece and Three Bowls by Ursula von Rydingsvard.

If you think you have a lot of yard work to do, try keeping up with the Nelson-Atkins sculpture technician, Anna. Her job is to keep tabs on the more than 30 works of art in the Museum's Kansas City Sculpture Park. She spends her days examining, cleaning and protecting the sculptures from the weather, animals and the worst offenders, humans.

Today, Anna was busy waxing the Henry Moore bronzes. The Nelson-Atkins is home to 13 monumental bronze sculptures by Moore and they are spread throughout the 22-acre Sculpture Park. The bronzes are waxed twice a year to create a barrier against damaging elements. "The best way to describe it is that it acts like a sunscreen," explained Anna. The wax also helps to preserve the sculpture's patina which is created naturally when a sculpture is exposed to the weather. Some weathering is a good thing. It adds to the sculpture's character.

You can learn more about the Kansas City Sculpture Park online, but be sure to visit in person if you can. And if you see, Anna, please tell her thank you.

Today may be raining and gloomy but yesterday was absolutely gorgeous. The Kansas City Sculpture Park was full of flowers, school children eating lunch, people walking their dogs and of course, people looking at art.

If you're looking for a reason to visit, make plans to come for Mother's Day on May 11. We have a day full of activities including musical performances, art-making events, tips on gardening and more.

A good way to familiarize yourself with the Park is to check out our online feature. You may learn about the art, the plants and all the things you can do everday in the Park.

The Museum's amazing operation's team is busy getting the reflecting pool ready for warm weather. Once the pool is drained it is cleaned and the surface is given a fresh coat of paint. When the maintenance is through, the pool will be refilled and ready to beckon visitors to the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

Congratulations to Michael Bailey who's photo (above) of the Museum was chosen for the Art at the Center juried exhibition for the city of Overland Park, KS. Bailey's work is called "Aliens at the Nelson" and will be on view through June 29.

The "aliens" are actually a sculpture called Standing Figures (Thirty Figures) by Magdalena Abakanowicz.

Good luck to you, Michael, and thanks for the new work of art for my cubicle.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York may have Aruthur Young's Bell-47D1 Helicopter hanging in its galleries but this past week the Nelson-Atkins hosted a helicopter flight in action.

The purpose of the visit was to deliver several very large air handling units into the Museum through an opening on the roof of the Nelson-Atkins Building.

I like the composition of this image with the helicopter on the lawn next to one of the Shuttlecocks. The helicopter practically looks miniature compared to the sculpture. Maybe an idea for a new acquisition in the Kansas City Sculpture Park?

It was great to be back in the Kansas City Sculpture Park last week for the Kansas City Chief's Fan Appreciation event. The Chiefs brought players including Larry Johnson and Dwayne Bowe as well as Coach Gunther Cunningham to talk about last season and what's in store for this year.

Here are some of my favorite pics from the day:

Spring begins in a few days but next week, it might feel a little more like fall around here. The Kansas City Chiefs football club is having its first fan appreciation event at the Nelson-Atkins from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 28th. There will be players, coaches, cheerleaders, games, give aways and lots of fun.

The Museum will be open until 9 p.m. that night with a special tailgate edition of Cultural Cocktails in the Museum Cafe. After you've seen the celebrities outside, be sure to come inside for a look at In the Public Eye: Photography and Fame. No tickets are required!

Thank you to Museum visitor Lacette Price who sent me images from her recent trip to the Nelson-Atkins. I love how the lights from the Bloch Building cast a dramatic quality to the already nobel endeavor of Rodin's Thinker in the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

We would love to see more snapshots from Museum visitors whether they're artsy, funny, dramatic, interesting or just plain nice. See more images from visitors.

The Kansas City Sculpture Park is so versatile. Spring is beautiful with the early blooms of flowers and trees. The fall is a great time to bring a frisbee to throw around or a blanket to read a book during the final days of warm temperatures. Even in the throes of a Kansas City summer, the Park is bright and cheery to look at from inside the air-conditioned Museum or driving by in your car. But when it snows (whether it is winter or still fall like today), the Park takes on a magical quality.

It looks like at least a couple of inches have fallen since around 9 a.m. making the Park look something more like this:

You can learn more about the Sculpture Park including works or art, horticulture and things to do here.

The Kansas City Sculpture Park is lovely year round but it is truly magical in the fall. This weekend would be a great time to enjoy the majesty of falling leaves and crisp autumn air. Bring a blanket for what might be your last picnic opportunity of the year.

German artist Otto Piene arrived at the Nelson-Atkins this afternoon for his lecture tonight. After a quick run through of this evening's program, he was escorted on a tour of the Bloch Building.

As he walked into the Isamu Noguchi Sculpture Court he was drawn to the sculpture called Fountain. As he stood mesmerized he asked if we had much trouble with vandalism. We told him that we do have curious children but most people are respectful of the art. He responded that he thought it was due to the power of the space and the presence of the artwork itself. The more magical a work of art is, the more secure it is from being damaged.

Another thing about the building that he found interesting was the amount of doors. There are seven doors to the Bloch Building. During Museum hours, all the doors are unlocked. Since admission to the Museum is free, visitors are allowed to come and go as they please. He mentioned how unusual that is for a major museum and what a task it must be to manage. He also mention what a powerful statement it is that we will open our doors completely to the community. Mr. Piene lives with his wife in the countryside of Germany. His wife believes quite emphatically that one should never lock their doors but instead trust in your fellow human beings.

If you are interested in hearing more from Mr. Piene, be sure to come for his lecture at 6 p.m. tonight.

I have a secret. I would love to be a conservator. Having the knowledge of how works of art were created and how to put them back together would be so amazing. Also being able to walk up to a painting or scultpure and touch it would be pretty cool. However, since I lack the aptitude for anything scientific, I relish every chance I get to see the conservation team in action.

The other day, Tom's Cubicle was getting a little TLC. Conservation Associate Joe Rogers and Sculpture Technician Anna Zimmerman were examining the 40 large nuts and bolts that hold the sculpture together.

Click here to learn more about previous conservation of this and other objects at the Museum.

I have to admit that my favorite form of poetry is haiku. I am fascinated by how the simple 5-7-5 format can produce some incredibly profound results. To prove what a haiku nerd I am, sometimes my husband and I e-mail each other only in haiku form.

But I digress. My reason for this post today is to submit a request to readers for their best haiku about the Nelson-Atkins. Your haiku can be about anything in, at, on or around the Museum. Heck you can even "haiku" about the blog, if you like.

To get things started, here is my haiku about One Sun / 34 Moons by Walter De Maria, the site-specific sculpture on the Museum's Plaza.

Wind rippling water
One Sun shining brightly
34 Moons a glow

Happy Haikuing!

We have much planned at the museum this weekend, so be sure to stop by this Friday or Saturday (or both) as there will truly be something for everyone.

On Friday, be sure to cool off with Second Friday Happy Hour from 6 to 8 p.m.! Come drink and be merry with other art-minded professionals. DJ Murderbot will be working the turntables, and as always, there will be complimentary appetizers. The program is sponsored by Young Friends of Art, one of our special interest groups for members.

Add some mystery to your weekend on Saturday, August 11 with another installment of Shuttlecock Cinema. Once the heat of the day has died, join us at 8 p.m. on the museum lawn for a free showing of the science fiction film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Don’t forget a blanket or lawn chairs to help you relax in the gorgeous Kansas City Sculpture Park.

After you have devoured the new Harry Potter tome, be sure to grab your lawn chairs and a friend and head down to the Nelson-Atkins for another installment of Shuttlecock Cinema at 8 p.m., Saturday, July 21. Bring a picnic basket or pick up something yummy in one of our restaurants and enjoy a free screening of E.T., the Extra-Terrastrial in the glorious setting of the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

Museum members can enjoy a picnic on the East Sculpture Terrace at 6 p.m. with a special performance by one of Kansas City's most popular bands, Sometimes Three.

As the weather gets increasingly nicer and nicer, more and more people are enjoying the Kansas City Sculpture Park on the grounds of the Museum. From picnics to frisbee to walking the dog (or kids) the South Lawn is a popular place for enjoying the warm weather in KC.

Bring your own picnic goodies or stop by Rozzelle Court Restaurant for a box lunch.

It is always nice to visit the Nelson-Atkins but what could be better than to have a guided tour of the Kansas City Sculpture Park?

The Museum's Group Services department is happy to help groups and individuals arrange a visit. You can customize a tour to your group's interests including lunch and shopping or just choose from one of our many tour pre-existing options. For out of towners, we have travel and hotel information as well.

It is a chilly but sunny day in Kansas City so I took the opportunity to check out what's blooming in the Kansas City Sculpture Park. There were lovely tulips all around the East Scultpure Terrace and on the landing where The Thinker spends his time. Many of the trees were starting to flower as well.

Come by this weekend if you get a chance. Rozzelle Court Restaurant has a special champagne brunch on Easter Sunday. Reservations are required. If you can't come for that, make sure you visit for lunch soon. The new spring menu is sensational!

You know spring is near when workers appear in Walter De Maria's site-specific sculpture, One Sun / 34 Moons on the Museum's north Plaza. The sculpture's ledge is a popular spot for people to rest, talk or wait for friends while they enjoy the scenery.

As tempting as it may be, we ask that visitors refrain from getting in the reflection pool.

Before the ice and snow hit Kansas City this week, I was able to spend some time out in the Kansas City Sculpture Park. This woman and her canine companions were enjoying the view from the south steps of the Nelson-Atkins Building. Always a great spot to sit and relax.

Recent wintry weather caused the usual seasonal difficulties in Kansas City – icy roads and frozen toes. But it also created some beautiful vistas in the Kansas City Sculpture Park .

On this day, the J.C. Nichols Plaza on the Museum’s north side was graced not only by incredible works of art by Claes Oldenberg and Walter De Maria, but a thin coat of ice. The steam from the Museum’s central plant almost reminds me of an Impressionist painting of a train station.

These two braved the elements for an up close look at the splendid combination of nature and art. I wisely remained inside the warm and comfortable lobby of the Bloch Building to capture these shots. Thank goodness for zoom!

In my opinion, the best time to visit Kansas City is the fall. There is still plenty of sunshine and blue skies. Temperatures are usually pretty friendly but who cares with all the beautiful scenery?

The Kansas City Sculpture Park makes the perfect fall outing. The trees are gorgeous with their leaves turning all shades of red, yellow and brown. If you're really into nature, you'll enjoy reading the new horticulture signs throughout the Park.

Of course, the 34 sculptures are the stars of the Park. They include works by Claes Oldenburg, Henry Moore and Tony Cragg.

The Kansas City Sculpture Park is a great place to gather your thoughts and contemplate incredible pieces of art in beautiful, lush surroundings.

If you want to learn more about the artists in the Sculpture Park, don’t miss Rosamond Bernier’s lecture on Oct. 26. She will delight the audience with tales of British sculptor Henry Moore, whose works founded the Park.

Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers and $5 for students and faculty with ID. Call 816.751.1ART to reserve your spot today.

The reopening of the Kansas City Sculpture Park was a smashing sucess! The weather was gorgeous on Saturday, September 30. Activities included art making, dancing, sculpture tours, a movie on the lawn, a soccer clinic and too much fun for anyone in the fabric action play space created by Think Pink, Inc.

Your next official opportunity to engage with the Sculpture Park is on Oct. 11 at the Joseph S. and Ethel B. Atha Lecture. The speaker is Peter Murray, the director of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in England. The lecture is free but you must reserve your spot.

British sculptor Tony Cragg is in Kansas City today to speak at the Mary Atkins Lecture this evening at 6 p.m. Two of Cragg’s works are recent additions to the Kansas City Sculpture Park. You can come experience his works on top of the Bloch Building this Saturday, September 30, when we celebrate the reopening of the Park.

We ask that you please don’t touch the sculptures. Only the artists themselves are allowed to do that.

The Nelson-Atkins is a buzz with activity as we prepare for the grand re-opening of the Kansas City Sculpture Park this Saturday, September 30.

Other people are talking about it as well. Check out Tyler Green’s Modern Art Notes for his musings about the Museum. His recent conversation with director Marc Wilson proves you’ll never know who you’ll run into at the Nelson-Atkins.

As you enjoy your coffee today before heading off to the last day of the 75th Annual Plaza Arts Fair, be sure to check out Alice Thorson's piece on the Kansas City Sculpture Park in the Kansas City Star. She explores the sculptures, the artists and the plantings in the Park in preparation for next Saturday's reopening. The online version of the article also includes footage of Judith Shea's piece Storage being installed and a interview with Jan Schall, Sander Sosland Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art.

Hearing directly from an artist often changes your perspective of their work. Their motivation for creating a piece, the thought process and technical requirements of a piece are all things often unseen at first glance. Discover what drives Tony Cragg and the ideas behind his works Turbo and Ferryman, the latest additions to the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

Perched atop the new Bloch Building, Cragg's work extends the Sculpture Park into the grassy spaces between Steven Holl's design. Cragg has said, "Sculpture for me has only just begun. We've only just got the materials, we've just established some of the ground rules."

Come find out what makes this sculptor tick at the 11th Annual Mary Atkins Series premiere event on Thursday, September 28 at 6p.m. in Atkins Auditorium.

Tickets are availabe online
$10 members/$15 nonmembers/$5 students

Yorkshire Sculpture Park Executive Director Peter Murray will speak at the 24th Annual Atha Lecture on Wednesday, October 11. This FREE illustrated lecture will discuss a range of issues about art in public places, land art and sculpture parks.

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park major holdings include 12 monumental works by Henry Moore, sited on 96 acres. In addition, the YSP was a 2006 Gulbenkian Prize Finalist. The purpose of the Gulbenkian Prize is to recognize and stimulate originality, imagination and excellence in museums and galleries in the UK, and increase public appreciation and enjoyment of all they have to offer.

Reserve your FREE tickets online.

If you've ever wondered how Kansas City's own Sculpture Park came to be... or wanted to learn more about the sculpted plantings of Versailles, the graceful ornament of the Taj Mahal, or the latest contemporary parks including Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan and Storm King Art Center in New York... grab a seat in the three-part lecture series by Jan Schall, Sanders Sosland Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Tickets are priced per lecture at $6 members/$9 non-members/$3 students & faculty or save yourself 10% and purchase the full three-part series. Purchase tickets online or call 816.751.1ART (option 2).

Lectures are scheduled for three Saturdays in October from 10:30am-11:30am in Atkins Auditorium. October 7, 14, 28.

If you’ve walked through the Sculpture Park recently, you’ve probably noticed a flurry of activity. Workers are busy in almost every section of the Park to prepare for the grand re-opening on Sept. 30.

Thanks to the City of Kansas City, The Thinker recently received a treatment to remove the old protective coating and reapply a new synthetic one. A final coat of wax will help protect the statue’s bronze surface from the harsh Midwest elements.

The Thinker is owned by the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners of Kansas City, Missouri. It was part of the original Henry Moore Sculpture Garden which was a collaborative project among the Nelson-Atkins, the Hall Family Foundation and the City of Kansas City, Missouri.

Don’t be alarmed! The Nelson-Atkins is not being invaded by creatures from outer space. In preparation for the re-opening of the Kansas City Sculpture Park on September 30, many of the objects are getting a little extra attention.

Artist Ursula von Ryndingsvard gave a personal touch to her sculpture Three Bowls. The Nelson-Atkins conservators worked with the artist’s team to shim cracks in the cedar wood, apply protective coatings and refresh the graphite patina.

Two new entryways are under construction to make it even easier to enjoy the beauty of the Museum’s 22-acre Sculpture Park. When completed, this entrance, at the south west corner of Oak Street and Cleaver II Boulevard, (just a mere three blocks east of Kansas City’s famed Country Club Plaza shopping district) will allow you to literally walk off the street and into the Park.

From this corner of the Park, you can stroll up the lushly shaded paths to the Museum entrance surrounded by works by Henry Moore and George Rickey.

Be sure to come see the final product at the grand re-opening of the Kansas City Sculpture Park on Saturday, September 30.

The Nelson-Atkins launched a new interactive feature on the website today. The Kansas City Sculpture Park interactive celebrates the official reopening of the Park on Sept. 30. This new feature will give you a chance to experience the Park from the comfort of your home, office or just about anywhere you can get online.

You can get up close and personal with sculptures such as The Thinker, Sheep Piece and the Shuttlecocks. And, because the Sculpture Park is a park after all, there is information on Things to Do as well as Horticulture for all you nature lovers.

Be sure to check out the new feature and let us know what you think!

During construction of the Bloch Building, the Sculpture Park has undergone extensive changes. Many of the sculptures were removed to make way for the new building as well as updates to the Nelson-Atkins Building. While they were out of the Park, many of the sculptures were given some attention by our conservation staff. A few new pieces were acquired and have been installed for the first time.

On Saturday, Sept. 30 we are celebrating the reopening of the Park with a day of free, outdoor activities including art projects, family tours, a fabric play space, a soccer clinic, a dance performance and a screening of The Incredibles.

Bring your own picnic or enjoy snacks and cool beverages available from vendors in the Park. Everyone is welcome to this afternoon, made possible by the generosity of the Hall Family Foundation.

Wondering about the Bloch Building? Check out our blog for the latest news.

Artist Judith Shea visited the Museum recently to re-site her sculpture Storage (1999). Originally commissioned by the Hall Family Foundation for the Kansas City Sculpture Park, the object had to be removed from its original location due to construction of the Bloch Building. The figures in Storage reflect Shea’s background as a fashion designer. Shea was “standing in” for the fifth part of her sculpture, a mannequin-type figure that faces directly out at the viewer.

Come visit this newly reinstalled artwork along with many others at the Kansas City Sculpture Park reopening celebration, Saturday, September 30.

There’s nothing better than running into a visitor at the Kansas City Sculpture Park and hearing firsthand about their afternoon picnic or thoughts on the latest sculpture installation. But, with the Park always changing with the seasons and hours of the day, we can’t always be there to hear it in person. So with this new blog, we want to know… what do you think about the Park? What sculptures move you? What can we do better?

Show us your favorite pic or enlighten us with that Henry Moore inspired haiku… whatever is on your mind about the Park, we want to know. And we’ll do our best to keep you up to date on Park happenings, insights on artists or when the Gingko trees are in bloom. This blog will be as useful as you make it, so we hope to hear from you often.