After closing for the summer to repaint the galleries and process a large group of recent acquisitions, the Kruizenga Art Museum (KAM) will reopen on Friday, August 28, 2026 with three new exhibitions: Cloth and Clay in African Art; Points of Convergence: Where Math and Art Meet; and KAM x Library. Admission to the exhibitions is free.
Cloth and Clay in African Art includes ceramics and textiles from cultures spanning the African continent. The exhibition highlights some of the diverse materials, techniques
and regional styles that exist within these often-overlooked areas of African art.
At once utilitarian and visually attractive, the artworks on display demonstrate how
African artists used cloth and clay to express their creativity and communicate their
identity, while also satisfying basic functional needs.
Points of Convergence: Where Math and Art Meet artwork pieces illuminate the enduring dialogue between these two disciplines — exploring the ways in which mathematics and artistic practice influence, support and enhance one another. The displayed artworks reveal how artists used mathematical principles to create beautiful forms, challenge viewer perceptions and push the boundaries of visual expression.
Part of a new series of exhibitions titled “Campus Voices” were created to uplift voices from all over Hope College’s campus. The KAM x Library exhibition was curated by faculty and staff members of Hope’s Van Wylen Library. Each participant selected one to two artworks and wrote the accompanying label text for each piece, explaining how the artwork resonated with them. The majority of artworks will be on display in the Kruizenga Art Museum, with a small number viewable on the second floor of the Van Wylen library. The library will co-host a reception with the KAM to be held at the museum on Wednesday, September 16 from 4 – 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome to attend.
About the Kruizenga Art Museum
The Kruizenga Art Museum functions as an educational resource for Hope College and
the greater West Michigan community. The museum features two public galleries and
a classroom and climate-controlled storage space for its permanent collection of 10,000+ objects.
It is named in honor of a leadership gift from the late Dr. Richard and Margaret Kruizenga
of Holland, both of whom graduated from Hope in 1952. The museum is located at 271
Columbia Ave., between 10th and 13th streets.
Above Image:
Flower Basket with Wave Pattern
Japanese (Japanese, 19th century)
20th century
Bamboo
Hope College Collection, gift of David Kamansky and Gerald Wheaton, 2014.23.273