Born and raised in Mississippi, Byron Burford was drawn to the University of Iowa through an interest in one of its professors: Iowa’s Regionalism artist, Grant Wood. The American Gothic painter mentored Burford as an undergraduate, helping him hone his talents and lifelong love of circuses and carnivals into a distinctive oeuvre. Burford earned his […]
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Käthe Kollwitz’s stark, intimate portraits of war, on display at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, feel all too familiar
On a Sunday morning, I quietly made my way through the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art’s second-floor galleries to “Powerful: The Art of Käthe Kollwitz,” on display through Jan. 4, 2026. I entered, sat on a wooden bench, collected myself and looked around, much as I would before a mass. Julia Jessen, curator of Collections […]
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Five questions with Julia Jessen, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art’s new lead curator
Since she started as the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art’s lead curator in July, Julia Jessen has been exploring their 8,000-piece permanent collection, scouring shelves, drawers and boxes in preparation for her debut exhibition, “Surprise!” Little Village caught up with Jessen to see what’s catching her eye. Tell me a little bit about your background. […]
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What to see (for free!) at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art this summer
Summer heat got you down? Consider cooling off with A/C and art. Starting Friday, July 1 and continuing through Sept. 4, entry to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art will be free to all for the 13th year in a row. This summer the museum’s curator Kate Kunau has put together a “fun, vibrant collection […]
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Rare and ‘unusual’ Grant Wood works make up CRMA’s newest exhibition
Some of Grant Wood’s most well-known paintings depict Midwesterners wielding metal tools, from plows to garden hoes to, of course, pitchforks. Less known is that Wood worked with metal himself. As a child, he served as an apprentice at a Cedar Rapids metal shop, and was later commissioned by a number of local homeowners and […]
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Cedar Rapids Museum of Art celebrates its 125th anniversary with an exhibition of American and French impressionist painters
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is kicking off its 125th anniversary with a new exhibition showcasing 19th century impressionist art.“Across the Atlantic: American Impressionism through the French Lens” will showcase the “complex relationship” between French impressionism in the late 1800s and the American interpretation of the style in the following decades.
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Ticket sales close Friday for CRMA Gala
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art closes out ticket sales on Friday, Oct. 26 for its third annual fundraising gala. The fundraiser — the only one the museum holds each year — supports the CRMA’s educational programs and outreach.
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‘One of the true icons of American art’: Cedar Rapids is hosting two major exhibitions of Edward Hopper’s artwork
Thanks to an exchange with the New York’s Whitney Museum, CRMA will present two Edward Hopper exhibitions, opening Saturday. Visitors may enjoy the exhibits for free on Saturday.
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‘The Wood Problem’ explores the tension between Grant Wood and the University of Iowa
On Thursday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m., a portion of The Wood Problem will be presented as a staged reading at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. The reading will be followed by a panel discussion with Bradley, Grant Wood Art Colony Founder Jim Hayes and University of Iowa Art History Professor Joni Kinsey. The event is free.
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Cedar Rapids Museum Week to entice visitors to explore arts, culture and history
Seven days. Seven museums. An opportunity to explore some of Cedar Rapids’ treasures.
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Love, loss and the keeping of secrets infuse Moorman’s ethereal family portraits
When you step into the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art’s second floor gallery filled with Tara Moorman’s watercolors, the first thing you might notice is that these paintings seem to emanate light. What might be less obvious is that the paintings are themselves emanations from the past.
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Artists unite for The Hook’s ArtLOUD debut tonight
The Hook’s ArtLOUD!: Stories of Loss and Found Cedar Rapids Museum of Art — Saturday, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. One year ago, Cedar Rapids poet Akwi Nji had a GoFundMe campaign and a wild dream to unite writers and performers across eastern Iowa in The Hook, a creative storytelling platform that, according to its […]
