Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art announced on Mar. 15 that it will present the exhibition “Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene” from May 22 through September 13, 2026. The exhibition will feature around 40 photo-based artists from across the world, exploring how contemporary photography addresses environmental changes linked to human activity.
The exhibition is significant as it is described as the first major show to examine the concept of the Anthropocene—a term introduced by scientists over two decades ago to describe a new geological epoch shaped by human impact—through contemporary photography. The topic has gained wider attention through academic research, media coverage, activism, and artistic responses.
Artists in “Second Nature” use various methods to depict issues such as vanishing ice, rising waters, resource extraction, colonial legacies, climate migration, and socio-environmental trauma. Their works include aerial images of polluted sites, collages challenging colonial narratives, depictions of large-scale urbanism, and imagined futures. The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections: “Reconfiguring Nature,” “Toxic Sublime,” “Inhumane Geographies,” and “Envisioning Tomorrow.”
Jessica May, Executive Director of Kemper Museum and co-curator of the exhibition, said, “Second Nature arrives at the Kemper Museum as our city prepares to host a truly global event, the World Cup, with its attendant visitors and a shared dialogue about what globalism really means at this complicated moment. The exhibition allows us to see a changing world through the perspective of artists from all over the world.”
The show is organized by Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University and deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Massachusetts. It has previously been exhibited at venues including Nasher Museum (August 2024 – January 2025), Cantor Arts Center at Stanford (February – August 2025), and Anchorage Museum (October 2025 – April 2026). Artists featured come from diverse backgrounds spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Australia.
Kemper Museum was founded in 1994 as Missouri’s first contemporary art museum. It houses nearly 1,500 works with an emphasis on artists from underrepresented communities. Admission remains free due to support from members and organizations such as J. Scott Francis Family Foundation; Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts; Commerce Bank; Missouri Arts Council; and National Endowment for the Arts.
