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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art acknowledges it resides on the ancestral territory of the Osage, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria, among other tribal nations forcibly moved to the region such as the Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) nations. We recognize and support the continued vibrancy of Native communities and cultures today who continue to thrive, as well as the inherent sovereignty of tribal nations. We are compelled to serve and advocate for these communities in accordance with our public mission.

Kemper Museum acknowledges and respects the diversity of Native people connected to this land today. Many recognize the land and all beings who live within it as relatives. We acknowledge the earth we inhabit, the waters of the Blue River, the Kansas River, the Missouri River, and the plants, animals, and people supported by them. 

We acknowledge our responsibility to be good caretakers of the land we occupy. 

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rlh_digital_exhibition_guide.pdf

Pulse Topology is an immersive light and sound environment created by Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (born 1967), an internationally recognized media artist working at the intersection of architecture, technology, and performance. In his work, Lozano-Hemmer creates platforms for public participation and explores themes of agency, human connection, and civic engagement. This site-specific project features an upside-down canopy of mountains and valleys made from thousands of suspended light bulbs that mirror the pulse of visitor participants. The immersive environment highlights the basic but essential biological element—the heartbeat—shared amongst us all. Presented for the first time at Kemper Museum, Pulse Topology is the latest work in Lozano-Hemmer’s Pulse series, comprised of projects that use heart-rate sensors to create interactive audiovisual experiences from participants’ biometric data.

For the first time in the Pulse series, Lozano-Hemmer will integrate breakthrough touchless remote photoplethysmography (PPG) technology that uses computer vision algorithms to optically detect heartbeats.  

In place of incandescent bulbs which have been used in Lozano-Hemmer’s previous works, Pulse Topology is powered by LED filament light bulbs. Decreasing the energy required to power the installation has allowed Lozano-Hemmer to significantly increase the scale of the project: while previous installations have included 100–300 lightbulbs, Pulse Topology uses 3,000.

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (born Mexico City, 1967) is an artist based in Montreal, Canada, where he earned a B.Sc. in Physical Chemistry from Concordia University and now directs Antimodular Research studio. He was the first artist to represent Mexico at the Venice Biennale in 2007, and has had solo exhibitions at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington D.C., MUAC Museum in Mexico City, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. His work is in many respected collections including MoMA, Guggenheim, Museo del Barrio in New York, the Tate and Science Museum in London, CIFO in Miami, Jumex and MUAC in Mexico City, SFMOMA in San Francisco and others. Lozano-Hemmer was recently appointed to the board of directors for New York’s Public Art Fund and was given the Governor General's award in Canada. 

This exhibition is organized by Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and curated by Erin Dziedzic, director of curatorial affairs at Kemper Museum.

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Pulse Topology, June 25, 2021–January 2, 2022, Charlotte Crosby Kemper Gallery, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2021.

Artist Talk | Rafael Lozano-Hemmer

Artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (Mexican-Canadian, born 1967) presents on "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Pulse Topology," now on view at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, MO.

This exhibition has been generously supported by the Enid and Crosby Kemper  Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee; and the R.C. Kemper Jr Charitable Trust and  Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee 

Lead Corporate Sponsor

Premiere Benefactor Sponsor

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Additional financial assistance is provided by generous donors and members,  especially: William T. Kemper Charitable Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee; Bebe & Crosby  Kemper Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee; Missouri Arts Council, a state agency; The  Sullivan Family Foundation, Jo Ann and William Sullivan; The Family of Mary Beth Smith  Docent Program; Jack and Karen Holland Visiting Artist Fund; Muriel McBrien Kauffman  Foundation; Bebe and Graham Hunt; Catherine Mead; Bradley and Linda Nicholson  Foundation; Thomas and Sally Wood Family Foundation; Stanley J. Bushman and Ann  Canfield; Charles M. Helzberg and Sandra Baer; Francis Family Foundation; Miller  Nichols Charitable Foundation; Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust, Bank of America,  N.A., Trustee; RLS Illumination Fund; The Sosland Foundation. 

Additional Thanks

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Pulse Topology

Installation view, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Pulse Topology, June 25, 2021–January 2, 2022, Charlotte Crosby Kemper Gallery, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2021.