Hank Willis Thomas - Conceptual Artist, Activist

This dynamic couple founded an award-winning, multidisciplinary New York City-based design practice that combines landscape, architecture, infrastructure, and art, and they were chosen to design the upcoming Nelson-Atkins expansion.

An objects technician in the Nelson-Atkins Conservation division, Joe Rogers has been with the museum for 42 years and has been working with the Shuttlecocks since they were nothing more than an idea.

For the past 50 years, photographer Terry Evans has enjoyed national acclaim; she is one of the most important landscape photographers of our time. Her straight-forward but richly complex photographs of the Midwest prairie are familiar yet surprising, encouraging the viewer to see this landscape and the people living there with fresh eyes and new understanding.

A specialist in provenance tracks down the history of ownership of each object in a museum’s collection. The Nelson-Atkins vast collection numbers more than 42 thousand, so provenance specialist MacKenzie Mallon is kept very busy tracing the lineage of each one of those objects.

Hank Willis Thomas creates images and symbols that define our time, from advertisements and logos to historical photographs and public monuments. A conceptual artist, an activist, and the co-founder of the organization For Freedom, his projects challenge our perceptions of race, identity, and consumerism.

Rachael Cozad is a trusted voice in art appraisal. With deep roots in Kansas City, and a global reach, she guides collectors, institutions, and even insurance companies through the complex, captivating world of fine art.

Porfirio Guiterrez was born into a lineage of weavers in Oaxaca, Mexico. His textiles are not just beautiful- they are a profound connection to the earth, a living history, and a testament to the enduring power of tradition.

Dr. Saborit is a renowned historian, essayist, and translator. He specializes in cultural history, examining the intersection of literature, history, and modern Mexican society. 

Dario Robleto integrates science and art to deliver unique, thoughtful, and joyful experiences. A transdisciplinary artist, Dario is also a researcher, writer, teacher, and filmmaker.