The atrium of Capitol Federal Hall is pictured from the west exterior at night

KU School of Business Art Collection

The KU School of Business Art Collection aims to enrich the environment and lives of KU students beyond the classroom by creating a window to the world beyond business.

Art Collection Background

Thanks to a gift from a group of alumni, about 150 works are featured among the hallways and public spaces throughout Capitol Federal Hall. The fund to support the collection was created to honor former Dean Neeli Bendapudi, who requested that the gift be used for the purchase and showcase of significant works of art as an expression of the necessity for creative minds in business.

The purpose of the collection is to enhance the culture of the school by providing an environment for thought-provoking art alongside great architecture; to portray our values through careful curation of materials that embrace our school mission; and celebrate the Heartland while embracing the global aspirations of the school. The collection features works by artists who have a tie to either the state of Kansas or to KU. Many of the artists have studied or taught at KU.

Over the spring 2019 semester, the School of Business enlisted the help of students in the “Art Here, Art Now” seminar, taught by David Cateforis, professor and chair of The Kress Foundation Department of Art History at the University of Kansas. These art history students developed didactic text for selected works in the collection below.