KANSAS CITY, MO.- Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art presents the exhibition The World in Kansas City on view March 6 through August 9, 2026. Initially inspired by conversations around the 2026 global soccer tournament (Kansas City will host matches between June 16 and July 11, and is known as the Soccer Capital of America®), this exhibition foregrounds Kansas City’s expansive global context. For hundreds of years, people from different regions of the world have migrated to the region for a variety of reasons—from fleeing upheavals in their homelands to seeking new opportunities. Our artistic community reflects this dynamism, supported by area universities, arts institutions and organizations that draw artists from across the globe.
The exhibition grew out of the historical role Kansas City's cultural institutions have played in fostering international dialogue. While not intended to represent the entire world, this exhibition recognizes the complexity of diverse histories and narratives. It commemorates Kansas City’s evolving global spirit by featuring artists with global backgrounds who have either established themselves or had meaningful experiences in the city and region. Encompassing ceramics, painting, AR, photography, sculpture, and time-based media, these artists’ works explore themes related to cultural exchange and convergence, including Heehyun Choi, Hùng Lê, Hugo Romero-Zelada, Paul Anthony Smith, Anna Tsoulharakis; ideas of borders and boundaries, such as Juan Diego Gaucin and César López; to ancestral and familial interconnectedness.
The exhibition is organized by Jessica S. Hong, Chief Curator, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Explains Hong, “The core themes of the exhibition are interconnectedness and exchange. While celebrating the local, The World in Kansas City foregrounds the ways in which this region has, is, and always will be entwined and engaged with the world around us. Through these artists’ inventive and insightful practices, they remind us of our shared responsibility to nurture and strengthen our collective social fabric.”
Artists whose work is featured in the exhibition include Heehyun Choi (born in South Korea), Juan Diego Gaucin (born in Mexico), Hùng Lê (born in Vietnam), Hung Liu (born in China), César López (born in Guatemala), SunYoung Park (born in South Korea), Kiki Serna (born in Mexico), Paul Anthony Smith (born in Jamaica), Akio Takamori (born in Japan), Sumire Skye Taniai (born in Japan), Anna Tsouhlarakis (Navajo Nation, Muscogee Creek, and Greek descent), Mikey Yates (born in Germany), and Hong Zhang (born in China), among others.
