As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026, the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art presents an exhibition that looks back to another milestone in the nation’s history. Kent Bicentennial Portfolio: Spirit of Independence, on view July 1 through September 13, 2026, reunites a remarkable collection of prints created in anticipation of the United States Bicentennial in 1976.In the years leading up to the Bicentennial celebration, the Kent Bicentennial Program posed a simple question to twelve prominent American artists: What does “independence” mean to you? The resulting portfolio brought together a diverse range of responses, revealing how artists interpreted the concept through personal, historical, cultural and contemporary perspectives. Some artists reflected on significant moments and figures from American history, while others turned their attention to everyday life and modern American culture.
The project was commissioned by Lorillard, makers of Kent Cigarettes, as part of a nationwide cultural initiative tied to the Bicentennial celebrations. In announcing the program, Lorillard president Curtis H. Judge stated that “the individual creativity, ingenuity and freedom that is particularly American in style and scope gave us the impetus to sponsor a major cultural project.” Complete portfolios were donated to more than one hundred museums across the country, while affordable reproductions were made available to the public, helping to bring contemporary American art to a broad audience during the Bicentennial year.
The portfolio features works by some of the most recognizable artists of the twentieth century, including Robert Indiana, Jacob Lawrence, Alex Katz, Audrey Flack, Edward Ruscha, Red Grooms, Larry Rivers, Marisol Escobar, Fritz Scholder, Will Barnet, Colleen Browning and Joseph Hirsch. Together, their prints offer a fascinating snapshot of American art and culture during a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.
Part of the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art’s permanent collection, the complete portfolio has not been exhibited together in more than twenty years. This rare presentation provides visitors an opportunity to experience the series as originally intended and to consider how ideas of independence continue to evolve fifty years after the nation’s Bicentennial.
Also on view is a companion exhibition featuring seventeen American landscapes from the museum’s permanent collection. Through paintings, prints, sculpture, and photography, artists explore the varied geography of the United States, from the rolling countryside of the East Coast to the dramatic vistas of the American West. Featuring works by artists including Birger Sandzén, Keith Jacobshagen, Brett Weston and others, the exhibition highlights the enduring relationship between artists and the American landscape.
Together, these exhibitions invite visitors to reflect on the many ways artists have interpreted the American experience through themes of independence, identity, and place. Financial assistance provided by the St. Joseph, Missouri Visitors Bureau and Missouri Arts Council.
