On May 10th, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, in collaboration with fashion designer Jeremy Scott and artist Katherine Bernhardt, will host a once-in-a-lifetime Met Gala-inspired fundraising event. The gala will celebrate the debut exhibition from Bernhardt and Scott – A Match Made in Heaven – while raising dollars to support educational initiatives at the Nerman Museum and Johnson County Community College (JCCC).
Exhibition background
In February, the Nerman Museum opened the first-ever exhibition to explore the shared references that unite contemporary artist Katherine Bernhardt’s paintings and fashion designer Jeremy Scott’s iconic looks. Visitors from across the region came to the opening artist talk with Bernhardt and Scott, and the exhibition received positive attention and reviews from local news outlets and international publications like Vogue Runway and Elle Italia.
Bernhardt, who comes from the St. Louis area, and Scott, who was raised in the Kansas City area, are both known for creative work that uses irreverent humor and engages with themes of consumer and pop culture. This exhibition presents more than 100 looks by Scott and more than 30 paintings by Bernhardt – two elite artists who transform the mundane into the spectacular.
Gala details
A Match Made in Heaven Gala on Saturday, May 10, hosted by the Nerman Museum, will transport participants into a vibrant world of pop culture through food, fashion, and art. The evening starts at the Nerman Museum, and event sponsors and VIP guests can also attend an off-site after-party. Attendees will have a chance to pull out that creative, vibrant outfit they’ve always needed an occasion to wear.
Individual gala tickets recently went on sale, and gala sponsorship packages are available. Secure tickets now, as this event is expected to sell out quickly. After-party tickets will be available to sponsors once the venue details are final.
Learn more about the gala and purchase tickets at nermanmuseum.org/match.
About the artists
Bernhardt is known for her colorful, energetic canvases that juxtapose symbols of everyday life, such as Windex, the golden arches of McDonalds, and Lucky Charms cereal, with imagery sourced from pop culture, such as The Simpsons characters, E.T., and The Pink Panther. These cultural symbols are repeated as motifs, resulting in patterned paintings that elevate kitsch into high art.
Scott’s fashion designs, created for the Italian design house Moschino (2013-2023), Adidas, and for his namesake brand Jeremy Scott, adapt pop culture iconography into haute couture. His designs have been worn by celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and Rihanna, all of whom appreciate his cheeky humor and of-the-moment references. Scott is also the subject of a 2015 documentary by Vlad Yudin, titled “Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer,” which features cameos from many of his pop star friends.
Learn more
Can’t make it to the gala? Supporters can still enter a raffle to win a limited edition print created by Bernhardt for this event. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase soon at nermanmuseum.org/match.
A Match Made in Heaven: Katherine Bernhardt x Jeremy Scott will be on view through August 3, 2025, in the Nerman Museum’s Kansas Focus, Oppenheimer, Thompson, and Anonymous Galleries, First Floor, and the Barton P. Cohen and Mary D. Cohen Gallery, Second Floor.
The museum is free and open to the public:
- Tue., Fri., Sat.: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Wed., Thu.: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Sun.: noon-5 p.m.
- Mon. and JCCC Holidays: Closed
Learn more at nermanmuseum.org.
