Kemper Art Museum Opened Carolina Caycedo Exhibition
The St. Louis museum launched a new collection featuring sculptural works and environmental activism archives.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Fine Art
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The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum opened the exhibition Carolina Caycedo: Growing Deep Roots on Sept. 9, 2026. The retrospective runs alongside a secondary display titled Our Feminine Lineage through early 2027.
Why it matters
The artist intends these exhibitions to encourage visitors to rethink their relationship to natural systems. By highlighting local flora and environmental activists, the work seeks to connect global ecological themes with the St. Louis community.
The exhibition features a printed banner displaying 140 female environmental activists alongside six plant samples from the Missouri Botanical Garden. It also includes drawings of four specific minerals: lead, indium, neodymium, and molybdenum.
The players
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
This institution is located on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis and houses a significant collection of modern and contemporary art.
Carolina Caycedo
She is a multidisciplinary artist whose work often examines the intersection of environmental issues and social justice.
Missouri Botanical Garden
This St. Louis research and educational institution is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States.
The details
The exhibition utilizes a diverse range of media, including sculpture, video, prints, and satellite images to explore ecological connections. Notable pieces include a hanging sculpture made of recovered fishing nets and buoys, and a mural titled Elwha's Healing composed of collaged satellite imagery.
Timeline
The exhibitions opened to the public at the museum on Sept. 9, 2026.
The displays will remain open to visitors until Jan. 4, 2027.
Industry Dynamics
This exhibition reflects a growing trend in the museum sector to bridge the gap between fine art and environmental science through institutional partnerships. By integrating herbarium specimens from the Missouri Botanical Garden, the museum repositions itself as a site for cross-disciplinary education.
Visitors can view the collections daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., though the museum remains closed on Tuesdays. The exhibitions are open to the general public through the conclusion of the display period in January.
The takeaway
Visitors are encouraged to examine the root structures of native prairie plants, which can reach depths of up to 15 feet. This focus on unseen natural systems aims to provide a deeper understanding of the local midwestern environment.
Further reading
Discover more regional exhibits in the Fine Art section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Student Life.
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