Elisabeth Kirsch

Elisabeth Kirsch

Elisabeth Kirsch is an art historian, curator and writer who has curated over 100 exhibitions of contemporary art, American Indian art and photography, locally and across the country. She writes frequently for national and local arts publications.

A Magician in Porcelain: Victor Babu (1936 – 2019)

Victor Babu looked nothing like his art. Big and burly, with a voice that could only have been birthed in the Bronx, Babu created porcelain objects so exquisite that a Ming dynasty emperor would have wept to own one. In 2008, Sherry Lacy, an artist and former director of the Kansas City Art Institute’s Charlotte […]

“Amalgam: Resident Exhibition 2019,” Belger Crane Yard Gallery

“Amalgam: Resident Exhibition 2019,” Belger Crane Yard Gallery

Every year the Belger Crane Yard Gallery invites artists who have been awarded residencies in one of their various programs to be part of a group exhibit. The five artists in this year’s resident exhibition, “Amalgam,” are from very different places, and they make very different art. Yet two distinct themes resonate throughout this show. […]

“Roger Shimomura: American Muse,” Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art

“Roger Shimomura: American Muse,” Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art

With more than 100 paintings, and subject matter that unabashedly juxtaposes politics and pop culture with the personal, Roger Shimomura blows the roof off Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art with “American Muse.” At 79, the internationally known Japanese -American artist is creating art that is more assured than ever. Stylistically, Shimomura is known for work that […]

Arts News: Raymond T. Starzmann (1945-2019): A Local Treasure

If Kansas City honored individuals considered local treasures, Raymond Starzmann would top the list. Starzmann, who died in February of complications from surgery, was not a native of KC but lived here since his days at Park College (now Park University). He loved the city and knew more about its history than any scholar — just ask some of the thousands of people he mesmerized over the years with his anecdotes of local politics, art and personalities.

Arts News: Lennie Berkowitz (1929-2019)

KC Mourns the Loss of a Cultural Leader Lennie Berkowitz was a style maven and a trendsetter, one of the first in Kansas City to embrace contemporary architecture, furniture and design. But she was so much more than that. An arts and education promoter, Berkowitz was a genius at enlisting others to work with her […]