By Dr. Randy Whetstone, Jr. • Photos by Kathryn Harrington
The premier destination for contemporary art in Louisville, KY is located at 715 West Main Street. There you will witness dazzling art pieces that leave a lasting effect on one’s psychological and emotional state. Art that compels you to ponder and reflect on the ingenuity of the artist. KMAC Contemporary Art Museum is that destination, an experience that changes lives forever.
“We have an incredible curatorial director in Joey Yates. How he knows and finds this vast network of people he does is amazing to me,” says Chris Welsh, new Board President for KMAC. “Joey is so good at finding young artists who are on the cusp of becoming the next big thing. We featured Simone Leigh in an exhibit maybe six or seven years ago. Two years ago, she was the leading artist at the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. There are things like that, Joey is good at finding these young artists who suddenly blow up after they have been at KMAC. So, we have been very fortunate in that respect.”
Welsh grew up in Louisville and left for nearly three decades. He never envisioned the day that he would return to Louisville. After living in New York for 20 years, he and his husband returned to Louisville and now love it. He says he has always been captivated by KMAC and has been a strong supporter. His involvement and support have now led him to a leadership role he truly cherishes.
“We were pulled in and mesmerized by KMAC nine years ago. I started on a committee for KMAC Couture, which is our largest fundraiser, soon after joining the board. It has been a great ride, and I am happy to serve as president. There’s always so much going on at KMAC and so many different things to focus on. I think as a board member, our job is to keep the word going out there and to constantly be finding new streams of revenue. We have been really fortunate to have some good grants. So as a board member, that’s one of our main goals and main jobs… to find revenue and keep things going. I feel like overall, we as a board really work together to get things accomplished.”
If you’re looking for an encyclopedic museum, the Speed Art Museum may be your destination, but KMAC offers a transformative journey of contemporary art that emphasizes craft and how art was created.
“That is the niche we are filling with a huge emphasis on craft and local and regional artists, as well as people from around the world. Our goal is to always be forward-looking and pushing local artists into a spotlight with a lot of global artists,” Welsh adds. “With KMAC, we are always changing and growing and finding new audiences. We have always prided ourselves on being the most diverse museum in town. As far as the art we show, it is incredibly diverse. I feel like in the future, we hope to just grow as an institution. A part of that is financial footing, and the other part is bringing great contemporary art to our region.”
Art is transformative. It is calming and inspirational, yet thought-provoking and challenging. A KMAC experience transforms a person in some way. Welsh says, “You come in and can see what other people have done and what their thought processes are, and from that experience, you begin to think about your own emotional state in relation to the artist. It’s an indescribable emotional connection made between two people through the power of art.”
