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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and Classical KC have joined forces to create a multi-sensory experience when viewing artwork in the museum's permanent collection. Take a listen!

Virginia Jaramillo's 'Shaman's Dream // 'Mirrors' by Kaija Saariaho

 Virginia Jaramillo (Mexican American, born 1939), Shaman’s Dream, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 81½ x 69½ inches, Courtesy of the artist and Hales Gallery and Pace Gallery. © Virginia Jaramillo. Image courtesy of the artist and Hales Gallery and Pace Gallery.
Phoebe d’Heurle
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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
Virginia Jaramillo (Mexican American, born 1939), Shaman’s Dream, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 81½ x 69½ inches, Courtesy of the artist and Hales Gallery and Pace Gallery. © Virginia Jaramillo. Image courtesy of the artist and Hales Gallery and Pace Gallery.

The bright yellow shapes of Virginia Jaramillo's "Shaman's Dream" are eye-catching, especially against the dark gray background. The squares radiating out evenly from a central point gradually get larger in size, creating a feeling of depth. Do those squares pull you in? Or do you feel pushed away? In contrast, the soft, wispy nature of the iridescent background appears like fog or waking up from a dream - soft, floating by.

In Kaija Saariaho's "Mirrors," the performers mirror one another musically through rhythm, pitch, gesture or timbre. Where do you see symmetry in Jaramillo's work? Is it reflected in the music? The shimmering texture of each instrument harkens back to the cloudy background, creating a veil over the more rigidness of the form.

Want to explore more music inspired by Virginia Jaramillo's artwork? Listen to our Spotify playlist for full pieces.

Find more information about 'Virginia Jaramillo: Principle of Equivalence' on the Kemper's website.

You can find out more about Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art at kemperart.org.

View the full Kemper Museum Permanent Collection here.