Solo Exhibitions

Steven and William Ladd
Red Star Studios at Belger Crane Yard
Kansas City, Missouri
September - November 2014

Curated by Michael Baxley

This exhibition was a reunion of sorts—an opportunity to return to Kansas City, a place that deeply shaped my (Steven’s) early life. While attending Rockhurst University, I had developed foundational relationships in the Kansas City art scene. Years later, a former professor helped connect William and myself with figures in the local art world, including the team at the Belger Collection where a deep passion for American art and artists like Jasper Johns guided curation.

That introduction laid the groundwork for a relationship that eventually led to this exhibition. Michael Baxley, an artist and curator we met originally at CraftBoston in 2009, reached out years later to invite us to exhibit at Red Star Studios at Belger Crane Yard. We’d kept in touch over the years—trading artwork and sharing encouragement—so this felt like a full-circle moment.

“The exhibition brought up technical considerations: what does it mean to steward an archive? How can artists manage touring exhibitions, engage new audiences, and maintain their practice across years and states? Belger Crane’s storage facilities were critical to the success of this show, allowing them to hold our work for almost a year until we were ready to receive it again.”

The timing was perfect. We had just wrapped a major museum exhibition at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego when Michael had an opening in the Red Star calendar. The opportunity to have a “pickup” exhibition on the way back to New York gave us the chance to test the logistics of a traveling archive—moving, cataloging, and reinstalling hundreds of works. It helped us refine what would become a long-term vision for touring exhibitions and archival management.hat introduction laid the groundwork for a relationship that eventually led to this exhibition.

The show featured over 400 objects, including a mix of museum-loaned and personally archived works. It was the first time we suspended our Nautical Panels from the ceiling, allowing viewers to walk entirely around them. We also performed live on opening night, transforming several of our signature towers into horizontal landscapes before a packed crowd—including many of Steven’s college friends who hadn’t seen our work since 2007.

“In many ways, this show reflected the slow, intentional development of relationships over time. Artists, curators, educators, collectors—we’re all in this together, and nurturing those bonds can lead to extraordinary outcomes. For us, this return to Kansas City was about more than art—it was about gratitude, growth, and honoring the people and places that continue to shape our journey.”