Donté K. Hayes + Kevin Kao
Ancestral Objects: Holders of Memory, Space, & Time
January 2 – February 18, 2026
Ancestral Objects: Holders of Memory, Space and Time is an exhibition of works from Donté K. Hayes and Kevin Kao, two artists working in clay coming together for a conversation on how objects can be a conduit to cultural, social and personal reflection. Through the use of abstract sculpture, the exhibition opens the viewer to reconsider race and identity as markers for welcoming and belonging.
Each artist explores the humble medium of clay as a historical material with its own inherent preconceived notions and perceptions to offer new perspectives on unraveling the relationship with one-self and the world around them. Both artists highlight the duality of clay to serve as container and symbol; enduring and vulnerable; hard and soft; static and dynamic. However, Donté and Kevin bring their own unique voices to the exhibition.
The works in Ancestral Objects, employ sculpture with stillness and intentionality, taking the viewer on a journey of personal growth. Through similar, yet distinct practices, Donté K. Hayes and Kevin Kao deftly investigate the properties of clay to hold narratives, using materiality as a method for reflection, transformation and connection. This exhibition reminds us of the power that objects have to shape perceptions — placing culture, memory, and identity into forms that resonate throughout time.
ARTIST LECTURE
Wednesday, February 4 | 5:30PM
McCarty Auditorium | A+A 109
Donté K. Hayes graduated summa cum laude from Kennesaw State University at Kennesaw, Georgia with a BFA in Ceramics and Printmaking with an art history minor. Donté received his MA and MFA with honors from the University of Iowa and is the 2017 recipient of the University of Iowa Arts Fellowship. Donté was awarded a prestigious Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Biennial Grant Award in 2022. He is the Grand Prize winner of the Coined in the South: 2022 exhibition at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Donté K. Hayes is represented by Mindy Solomon Gallery in Miami, Florida.
HAND BUILDING WITH DONTÉ K. HAYES
February 5 | 6-8pm
SCHOOL OF ART CERAMIC STUDIO
1715 Volunteer Boulevard, UT Campus
Join us in in collaboration with The Bottom’s Art and Movement Meetup for a demonstration of hand building and clay techniques.
Please RSVP at tiny.utk.edu/clay
Donté K. Hayes | LEGACY
FIRST FRIDAYS
JANUARY 2 | 5-9PM
FEBRUARY 6 | 5-9PM
Please join us for one or both of our First Friday events. The artists will be present at February’s First Friday reception.
KEVIN KAO | Spirit Stone (漏 1)
This exhibition and programming are generously funded by the School of Art Culture, Access, and Community Committee, the College of Arts and Sciences’ Haines-Morris Grant, and the Department of Africana Studies.