Lindsey Herkommer

The art world tends to lull during the summer. But around this time, as (hopefully) cooler temperatures approach, that lull grows into quiet anticipation as the museums, galleries, and other art institutions begin to turn up the heat with heavy-hitting fall exhibitions.

As Wichita enters into the fall season, there are some changes to the local art scene. Regrettably, some key contemporary art galleries have lost their spaces, most notably Tangent Lab and NakedCity Gallery.

Alexander Calder was an American sculptor best known for his large mobiles – kinetic sculptures that use simple air currents to bring life to line, color and shape. A Calder sculpture is instantly recognizable by its awkward geometric shapes delicately balanced on long spindly wires, giving it an almost skeletal look.

I recently attended one of the most avant-garde art events I've seen in Wichita for some time. This event brought together local art, music, and food trucks to Abode Venue for a dynamic night of cutting edge culture.

Louise Nevelson was a key American sculptor in the mid-20th century. Her Modernist artwork changed the world of sculpture – much like what Jackson Pollock did for painting.

CityArts is currently showing the work of photographer Gerald Hill in the solo exhibition Black and White Photography from Gerald Hill.  Hill’s practice spans over 30 years. During this time, he gained representation through galleries in Dallas, Kansas City, Santa Fe, and Topeka. The National Park System has licensed some of his work as well.

Building an art collection seems like a practice far removed from the lives of average people. Purchasing art feels like something only wealthy people can do. So how is it that one of the most formidable art collections in our country was built on the salaries of a librarian and a postal clerk?

In the late 19th century, Impressionist painting was the avant-garde style coming out of Paris. This style explored the formal qualities of color and light through loose brushwork and open compositions. Yet Impressionists painters, such as Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet, were not just painting pretty pictures. They depicted contemporary urban life in Paris, and the subject matter scandalized art patrons who were more accustomed to classical scenes.

The Keeper of the Plains is a monumental sculpture that marks the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers. Rising 44 feet in the air, this Cor-Ten steel sculpture of a Native American chief is a popular site for Wichita visitors and residents alike. The proud figure stands tall with his back arched, offering something invisible to the sky with his upturned palms. The crisp lines of the stylized figure give it striking silhouette. But the large headdress and waving fringe gives the figure movement and life.