A Match Made in Heaven: Katherine Bernhardt x Jeremy Scott installation view, February 7 – October 26, 2025, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas. Photo: EG Schempf
American fashion designer Jeremy Scott (b. 1975, Kansas City, Missouri) and contemporary artist Katherine Bernhardt (b. 1975, St. Louis, Missouri) are both known for their creative work that engages with themes of consumer and popular culture and irreverent humor. These two artists came together at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) for A Match Made in Heaven: Katherine Bernhardt x Jeremy Scott, the first museum exhibition to explore the shared references that unite both artists’ works, presenting looks by Scott and paintings by Bernhardt, creating a dynamic pop culture extravaganza.
“The idea to pair these artists emerged when I was brainstorming with faculty colleagues from JCCC’s Fashion Design and Merchandising Department in 2023. I asked them to name the most famous fashion designer from Kansas City, and without missing a beat, they said “Jeremy Scott”. Instantly, I knew we had an idea,” says JoAnne Northrup, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Nerman Museum.
Bernhardt is known for her colorful, energetic canvases that juxtapose symbols of everyday life, such as Windex, the golden arches of McDonald’s, and Lucky Charms cereal, with imagery sourced from pop culture, including the Simpsons characters, E.T., and the Pink Panther. The symbols are repeated as motifs, resulting in patterned paintings that elevate kitsch into high art.
Scott’s fashion designs, created for the Italian design house Moschino (2013-2023), adidas, and for his namesake brand, Jeremy Scott, adapt pop culture iconography into haute couture. His designs have been worn by celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Rihanna, all of whom appreciate his cheeky humor and of-the-moment references. Scott is also the subject of a 2015 documentary by Vlad Yudin, titled “Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer,” which features cameos from many of his pop star friends.
The Nerman Museum provides the perfect opportunity for JCCC students in the Fashion Design & Merchandising and Fine Arts programs—as well as residents of Johnson County and the greater Kansas City region—to study the contributions of these two masters from the Midwest. According to Joy Rhodes, Chair of Fashion Design, the decision to integrate the show into her curriculum was a “no-brainer.” She recalls the moment students first walked into the gallery: “Just watching the look on their faces when they entered the space was very rewarding.” Associate Fashion Merchandising and Design Professor Audrey Michaelis agrees, calling the show a “natural extension” of lessons on the elements and principles of design. “Seeing garments up close—the craftsmanship, the drape of fabric—those are things photos and videos just can’t convey.”
The educational impact of this exhibition extends far beyond the JCCC campus. Since the exhibition opened, the Museum has hosted hundreds of students of all ages and disciplines from the Kansas City metro area and beyond. Many teachers, knowing that the exhibition was originally slated to close on August 3, 2025, expressed disappointment in not being able to bring their fall students to this exhibition. In response to record visitorship and community feedback requesting an extended run, the Museum reached out to the artists and received the green light to keep the show on view until October 26, 2025—giving those students and others in the community more opportunities to visit and learn from the works. The exhibition also served as the theme for the Nerman Museum’s 2025 Gala, which supported the preservation of the JCCC Historical Fashion Collection and contributed to the Nerman Museum’s operation, acquisitions, and arts education activities –ensuring that the impact of this collaboration will extend into the future.
Learn more about this exhibition at nermanmuseum.org.
