The Powers Art Center’s upcoming exhibit, “In the Living Room with John and Kimiko,” promises a one-of-a-kind journey into the lives of two visionary art collectors who helped shape the pop art movement. Opening Dec. 3, the exhibit provides an intimate look at the world-renowned collection of John and Kimiko Powers, featuring iconic works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Indiana, among others — all contextualized within the Powers’ friendships with the artists.
“This collection is unique because it’s not just about the art — it’s about the people behind it,” said Sonya Taylor Moore, the Powers Art Center’s director. “John and Kimiko didn’t just collect works; they cultivated friendships with the artists. This exhibit takes you into their living room to understand the depth of those relationships.”
Moore and Benjamin Eric, collections, facilities and technology manager, collaborated to bring the Powers’ story to life. The exhibit recreates the couple’s living room, complete with authentic furnishings from their home. Visitors can see a Bauhaus lamp, a Robert Rauschenberg sculpture and lush Eames leather furniture while imagining lively conversations of guests sipping spirits from Andy Warhol-designed cocktail glasses. Last but certainly not least, pop art masterpieces surround you, adding a dash of warm ambiance to the scene.
John was a jazz aficionado who played saxophone every Tuesday evening with the Walt Smith Jazz Band at the old Sopris Restaurant off of Highway 82. “You’ll feel
like you’ve stepped into a moment in time, hearing their favorite jazz records and imagining the conversations they had with these legendary artists,” Moore explained.
The Powers were more than collectors; they were pioneers who deeply believed in the power of art to transform lives. “John was often called an ‘art evangelist’ because he was so passionate about sharing art with everyone,” Eric said. “Even if you weren’t interested in art, he had a way of drawing you in.”
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Powers befriended and supported up-and-coming pop art icons when their work was yet to be well known and celebrated. “People often ask how they could afford such a collection, but these were $200 Warhols, not million-dollar pieces,” Moore said. “They saw the potential in these artists and built their collection out of mutual respect and belief in their vision.”
Kimiko, in particular, was known for her discerning eye. “She could walk into a gallery and instantly pick the right piece. She and John worked as a team, building something truly remarkable,” she said.
The exhibit also delves into the Powers’ broader contributions to the Colorado art scene. John was instrumental in founding the Aspen Center for Contemporary Art in 1967, which hosted artist residencies and lectures by figures like Warhol, Lichtenstein and James Rosenquist.
The exhibit highlights this history through posters and memorabilia from those events, giving visitors a sense of the Powers’ impact beyond their collection.
“John brought these artists to Colorado, creating a cultural hub that shaped the state’s art history,” Moore noted. “The Powers also supported institutions like Colorado State University and the Denver Art Museum, lending works for exhibitions and engaging with students and young artists.”
To honor the late Frank Stella, who died in May, the exhibit includes a special tribute to the artist. Two of his works will be displayed alongside interactive activities for visitors to engage with Stella’s bold, geometric style. Guests can create mini-Stella artworks using colorful paper shapes to either take home or contribute to a large-scale community art board.
Twenty minutes of film footage of the Powers in interviews and conversations about their passion for art will be shown. It is part of a more extensive documentary about the Powers due to be released in March. “It’s a way to bring their voices into the space,” Moore said. “You’ll hear directly from them about what this collection meant to them.”
A whimsical highlight of the exhibit is a baseball bat with a soft-sculpture extension crafted by Claes Oldenburg, a close friend of the Powers, for a 1967 softball game at Aspen’s Wagner Park between Aspen Orchestra musicians and Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies (now Aspen Institute) artists in residence. The floppy bat would collapse mid-swing, ensuring a comedic display of perpetual strikeouts. Photos, newspaper clippings and the dirt-stained bat from the contest will be on display.
“It’s these personal touches that make the exhibit so special,” Eric said. “You’re not just looking at art; you’re stepping into the world of the people who lived it.”
The Powers Art Center hopes to reach a broad audience with the exhibit, which will be on display for a year. Expanded hours, including Saturday openings and extended Friday hours, aim to make the museum more accessible. The center also plans school field trips, retirement center visits and other outreach programs to engage the community. “This exhibit is for everyone,” Moore said. “It’s a chance to experience the joy and energy that John and Kimiko brought to their lives and their art.”
For Eric and Moore, curating the exhibit has been a labor of love. “We feel a deep responsibility to honor their legacy,” Eric said. “But more than that, it’s about love and pure joy.”
The exhibit will run from Dec. 3 through Nov. 1, 2025. “We want people to see this gift they’ve [John and Kimiko] given us,” Moore concluded. “This is more than an exhibit — it’s an experience, a window into a magical time when art was changing the world, and John and Kimiko were at the heart of it.”
An opening reception takes place Dec. 5 from 4 to 6pm. For more information, visit www.powersartcenter.org
