The galleries of Krannert Art Museum were abuzz with life and conversation once again on Thursday when the museum reopened for the upcoming school year.

For the past 18 months, the museum’s Kinkead Pavilion has been under renovation. With its completion, the museum celebrated with new exhibitions and special performances. 

“This section of the art museum hasn’t been open since my freshman year,” said Alexander Stika, junior in LAS. “I really love museums and wanted to see it open again.”

The event included three new exhibitions open to the public, as well as a musical performance by Peruvian rapper Liberato Kani. 

Aside from his performance at the museum, Kani’s visit to the University included guest lectures as well as another performance at the Gallery Art Bar.

One of the biggest attractions of the day was “Fragmented Histories: Andean Art Before 1600,” which displayed over 700 objects including textiles, ceramics and other works made of a variety of materials.

The exhibit on the lower level of the museum was packed with visitors observing the history of the pieces on display. 

“I’ve been here before many times,” said Kai Ebata, a Champaign resident. “I always like to check it out when there’s new stuff.” 

Ebata also expressed a hope for the museum to spotlight local artists in the Champaign-Urbana community in the upcoming year. 

Another exhibition was the “Reinstallation of Historical European and American Art Collections,” featured in both the Bow Gallery and the Trees Gallery. Many of the museum’s visitors chatted with each other as they viewed the collection of paintings and portraits.

The Trees Gallery was named after two University alumni, Merle J. and Emily N. Trees, who donated around 40 European and American paintings to the school, which in turn inspired the establishment of the museum itself.

Thomas Kaboski, transfer student and sophomore in Social Work, mentioned how the reopening was a good way to help him acclimate to the University.

“I’m a new student around here, so I figured this would be a nice event to come to,” Kaboski said.

The museum proved its commitment to accessibility with exhibits, like the Andean Art, containing content warnings, as well as providing photos of views from the Ronny Quevedo exhibits and interactive pieces.

Ronny Quevedo’s art offered a number of representations of sports stadiums, from large drawings hung on the walls to a large wooden structure meant to mirror soccer stadium benches that visitors could climb on.

Quevedo’s art also draws on Andean history, contributing to the reopening theme of showcasing South American art and culture.

The exhibition, held in the West Gallery and Light Court Gallery, also featured artists and sculptors from diverse cultural backgrounds. Many of the pieces displayed were from the museum’s collection in the ’60s and ’70s and incorporated pop culture and imagery into their work. 

With its doors now open to the community once again, Krannert Art Museum has an extensive lineup of events scheduled through the end of October. 

These include virtual and in-person visits from several artists, including Quevedo, who plans to visit the museum to discuss his artistic process on Sept. 11. 

The reopening of the museum brought a great deal of excitement to those who look forward to revisiting it throughout the year.

“I hope they continue hosting events like this,” Stika said. “Not just for the reopening but for other kinds of events too.”

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