Jan Kennedy

Jan Kennedy is an Associate Professor of Art History and Program Head of both Art History and Asian Studies at the Kansas City Art Institute. Her research focuses on syncretism between Dutch and Japanese cultures, with expertise in 17th-century Netherlandish art, Northern Renaissance art, and Japanese Edo-period art. She teaches courses spanning Chinese and Japanese art, Asian ceramics, Zen art, and contemporary East Asian art.

She holds a B.A. in English Literature, followed by M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Art History from the University of Kansas, specializing in 17th-century Dutch/Flemish art with a minor in Edo-period Japanese art. Her professional memberships include the Society for Friendship with China, College Art Association, Historians of Netherlandish Art, Japanese Art History Forum, and Japanese Art Society of America.

She received the KCAI Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017, recognizing her dedication to pedagogy.