FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan Hendrix Sculpture Installed at Nelson-Atkins

Mirror Pavilion Addresses Nature’s Fragility

Kansas City, MO. Sept. 14, 2022–An arresting sculpture by Jan Hendrix, reminiscent of the pavilions found in 18th century gardens, will be unveiled in the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City on Sept. 14. The Dutch-born Hendrix, who lives in Mexico City, continued a two-decade long collaboration with Kansas City-based A. Zahner Company to fabricate Mirror Pavilion.

“Jan blends the special sensitivity of a modern aesthetic with a tribute to nature,” said Julián Zugazagoitia, Menefee D. and Mary Louise Blackwell CEO & Director of the Nelson-Atkins. “Mirror Pavilion was inspired by the coastal vegetation of Australia and its placement in the sculpture park puts it into unique dialogue with our immediate surroundings in Kansas City.”

Mirror Pavilion is made up of one stainless steel circle nestled inside another, intricately cut with patterns of Banksia leaves native to Australia. The mirror-like, dynamically complex patterns reflect the image of the viewer in fragments of metallic foliage. The sculpture has a mezmerizing effect when seen from a distance or up close, capturing the attention of even the most casual viewer.

“I think of myself not as an artist, but as a translator,” said Hendrix. “The process of making art is distancing oneself from reality, converting the information into other elements that start to live their own life.”

This is the second high-profile work Hendrix has installed locally, the first being a soaring sculpture in the dining hall at Pembroke Hill School. Hendrix has collaborated with Zahner for more than 20 years to fabricate projects all over the world.
Hendrix was classically trained as a printmaker and graphic artist and finds inspiration in natural elements. His works, rooted in botany, form a multi-layered response to ways in which the natural world can be experienced. Hendrix explores a chosen landscape by dissecting the details, composition, and structure.

Mirror Pavilion, which originally appeared in a London exhibition, comes to the Nelson-Atkins thanks to the William T. Kemper Foundation. It is a permanent installation in the sculpture park.

Jan Hendrix (Dutch, born 1949). Mirror Pavilion III, 2020. Stainless steel; 126 x 127 1/2 inches (320 x 323.9 cm). Purchase: acquired through the generosity of the William T. Kemper Foundation–Commerce Bank, Trustee, 2021.15.

Photo credit: Gabe Hopkins

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City is recognized nationally and internationally as one of America’s finest art museums. The museum opens its doors free of charge to people of all backgrounds.

The Nelson-Atkins serves the community by providing access to its renowned collection of more than 42,000 art objects and is best known for its Asian art, European and American paintings, photography, modern sculpture, and Native American and Egyptian galleries. Housing a major art research library and the Ford Learning Center, the Museum is a key educational resource for the region. In 2017, the Nelson-Atkins celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Bloch Building, a critically acclaimed addition to the original 1933 Nelson-Atkins Building.

The Nelson-Atkins is located at 45th and Oak Streets, Kansas City, MO. Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday through Monday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Thursday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission to the museum is free to everyone. For museum information, phone 816.751.1ART (1278) or visit nelson-atkins.org.

For media interested in receiving further information, please contact:

Kathleen Leighton, Manager, Media Relations and Video Production
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
816.751.1321
kleighton@nelson-atkins.org