The magazine cover story two weeks ago about 91-year-old Hungarian-born artist Gabriella Polony-Mountain generated so much interest in an exhibition of her work that it has been extended. “Through Gaby’s Eyes” will remain open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 20 at Kansas City Upholstery, 4646 Belleview Ave.
Owner Jim Santilli said more than 450 people came to the exhibit in what was supposed to be its last week.
That story was my first cover story in a new role as magazine writer. After rethinking the magazine and serving as editor for eight months, I am grateful for the opportunity to take on more reporting and writing responsibilities. Editing duties have been assumed by several talented colleagues under the leadership of Mary Lou Nolan, assistant managing editor for features.
I couldn’t have asked for a more interesting subject for my debut effort, and there have been several interesting developments I wanted to share today.
In the story, when Polony-Mountain visited Kansas City Missouri School District headquarters at 12th and McGee streets to see the “Arts and Sciences” marble floor mosaic she created in 1960 when the building opened as the downtown branch of Kansas City Library, she told district superintendent John Covington that he should hang a photograph of the mosaic in the current downtown library. Covington replied, “You’ll have to talk to (library director) Crosby Kemper about that.”
It turns out, Kemper likes the idea.
“That is the very least we ought to do,” Kemper said. “There’s such a strong library connection, and she’s such an interesting person, I’d love to bring her in here. It would be really interesting to get a group of kids to go look at the mosaic and then come back to the library. Maybe students could recreate a contemporary version of the mosaic under her guidance.”
Public relations specialist Mary Spencer said the school district is very interested in pursuing opportunities for students with the library.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in the mosaic from all around the district,” Spencer said.
Several readers wrote or called to say they had works by Polony-Mountain in their homes. Sandy Krigel said he has a matched pair of 4-by-4-feet copper repoussé outdoor planters at his Mission Hills home. The planters have been in his family for more than 30 years and have weathered two floods.
The planters were commissioned for the home by Kivett and Myers architect Ralph Myers, who later sold the house to Krigel’s parents. After the second flood damaged the house, Sandy Krigel and his wife had to rebuild.
“The figures on the planters resemble some of the copper panels at the exhibition,” Krigel said.
When Sandy and David Spaw of Prairie Village read the story and saw the photographs of Polony-Mountain’s work, they knew immediately that she must have done two mosaics in the baptistery of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Prairie Village.
Santilli confirmed their hunch. The two large mosaics depicting Adam and Eve and the Ascension have been at the church since the Spaws began going there in 1971.
“I’ve always been so amazed by those mosaics and never knew who did them. They just sparkle. They are simply joyful,” Sandy Spaw said.
The Rev. Keith Lunsford, pastor, said he likes to ask children how many angels they can find hidden in the Ascension mosaic. Lunsford said anyone is welcome to come see the mosaics after 9 a.m. weekdays.
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