Matthew Thompson

Matthew Thompson

Matthew Thompson is an educator, historian, and writer who has lived in Kansas since 2005. His research interests include Progressivism and the Socialist Party of America, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War. He enjoys studying visual arts to help make the world and its history accessible and exciting to others.

Arts News: Without Limits

From a streetcar wrapped in a rendition of a poppy field to kiosks adorned with paintings and animations, this summer’s Art in the Loop project promises a visual cornucopia to residents and visitors of the downtown Kansas City area. Now in its seventh year, Art in the Loop has partnered with the KC Streetcar Authority […]

“1009 Arts: /wilt/,” Vulpes Bastille

“1009 Arts: /wilt/,” Vulpes Bastille

In the new era of social distancing, performance art seems at once both anachronistic and a symbol of the human desire for connection and intimacy. It was thus a bittersweet occasion when on March 6, the 1009 Arts organization unveiled the performance piece “/wilt/” at the Vulpes Bastille Gallery in the East Crossroads. Conceived as […]

“Angel Otero: Diario,” Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

“Angel Otero: Diario,” Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

We’re all influenced by everything. As a sprawling amalgamation of experiences, epiphanies and inputs, Angel Otero’s new installation at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, “Diario,” represents humanity’s psychological landscape. The apparent chaos of the piece belies its sophistication; the sculpture’s densely layered components illustrate not only the tangible influence of its creator, who was born […]

Honors | Zigmunds Priede: From Refugee to Master Printer

Honors | Zigmunds Priede: From Refugee to Master Printer

For one of the final shows in its River Market space before relocating in Tower East, the Kansas City Artists Coalition chose to honor distinguished artist and educator Zigmunds Priede. Priede, a master printer who honed his craft at Universal Limited Art Editions in New York, where he worked alongside high-profile artists like Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg and Helen Frankenthaler, was also a major presence in the art department at Johnson County Community College.