January 27 - February 26, 2026

The Sheffield Wood Gallery is pleased to present YELLOW THERE!, a solo exhibition of sculpture by Kevin Kao, opening January 27, 2026, with a Closing Reception on February 26, 2026, from 6:00–7:30 p.m. The exhibition is free and open to the public by appointment.

Kao’s work is constructed through a lens of cultural hybridity, drawing from familial narratives, the body, and multiplicity to examine themes of assimilation, belonging, and collective identity. His sculptural installations explore the tension between individual and group, often referencing ancient art historical forms to re-present ideals through double entendre and humor. By finding “the funny in the formal,” Kao creates evocative suggestions of an Other through materials such as clay, wood, metal, thread, and surfaces that evoke flesh, fruit, and hair.

Influenced by Lacan’s conception of the self-image, Kao’s figurative work investigates reflection, refraction, gaze, and desire. Surface plays a critical role in his practice, operating as both seductive and concealing—inviting viewers in while simultaneously obscuring, much like Narcissus confronting his own reflection. Through these material and conceptual strategies, Kao addresses perception, objectification, and the construction of identity.

Within a broader context, Kao’s practice questions value and its relationship to history, craft, and authorship. His work examines how materials have been handled across time and how sculptural traditions can be reimagined to speak to contemporary issues of body, taste, and power.

Exhibition Details:

• Opening Date: January 27, 2026
  
  

• Closing Reception (open to the public): February 26, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
  Informal Gallery Talk at 7:00 p.m.
  
  

• Venue: Sheffield Wood Gallery, Fine Arts Center
  102 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville, SC 29609
  
  

• Public Viewing: Free and open by appointment
  
  

About the Artist
Born and raised in California, Kevin Kao is a sculptor whose work explores collective identity through figure, reflection, and multiplicity. His work has been exhibited internationally at venues including the Crocker Art Museum (Sacramento, CA), Atlanta Contemporary (Atlanta, GA), and the Kranzberg Arts Center (St. Louis, MO). He is the recipient of numerous honors, including being named a 2021 finalist in the Young Sculptors Competition at Miami University, an Artist Support Grant from the Regional Arts Commission in St. Louis, and the Warren MacKenzie Advancement Grant from the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis. Kao holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of California, San Diego, and an M.F.A. in Studio Art (Ceramics) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He currently lives and works in Greenville, SC, where he serves as Associate Professor of Art at Furman University.

The Fine Arts Center is South Carolina’s first public arts high school, offering rigorous, pre-professional training in dynamic, inclusive, and collaborative learning environments. Learn more at fineartscenter.net.

For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact:
Zane Logan, Gallery Coordinator
Email: dlogan@greenvilleschools.us