Civility is for the Birds: Mackenzie Kouba
Xcel Energy Gallery
In her latest series, Civility is for the Birds, local artist Mackenzie Kouba uses satire in richly layered, colorful compositions to illustrate some of today’s most relevant societal concerns. Kouba’s work is realized with a variety of materials – from oil paint on canvas to collage and assemblage. Reflecting on this recent and ongoing body of work, the artist states, “In the world in which we live, polarizing opinions have drowned out fact and logic from our dialogue. Civility is for the Birds reflects on our interactions in society and its parallels in nature and history. Through bright colors and whimsical imagery, these works are meant not to provide an answer to difficult questions; instead, they inspire the viewer to ask questions about the decisions we make and the positions we take, as individuals and as a society.”
Kouba received her BFA from NDSU in 2011. Her work has been exhibited in solo exhibitions at Upfront Gallery, Gallery14/DK Custom Framing, The Art Connection, and Rourke Museum. Kouba is a dedicated public arts advocate and co-operator of the collective art space Robert St. Studio in downtown Fargo.
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Mackenzie Kouba, The Hatching of Drone Surveillance, 2016, Oil on canvas, 59 x 36 in. Courtesy of the artist
Ongoing Exhibitions
Flight Without Fear
Using acrylic paint on pasted paper, the mural Flight Without Fear explores the dangers of city windows, which kill over a billion birds each year in the U.S. alone. This window painting serves a dual purpose, both saving birds by disrupting the deadly reflections in the window and educating the public on the importance of bird-safe glass.
View ExhibitionConvergence:
Hope, Love, Resilience, Rest, Community
This installation was created specifically for the atrium at Plains Art Museum as part of the exhibition Convergence: Health & Creativity. Inspired by Labovitz’s research on the psychological benefits of art, this piece celebrates the connection between art and well-being.
View ExhibitionS.P.A.C.E. 2024-2026
The S.P.A.C.E. (Sculpture Pad Art Collaborative Experiment) project is a public art initiative led by Plains Art Museum in collaboration with NDSU, MSUM, and Concordia College. Sculptures are displayed for two years.
View ExhibitionNo Time For Despair
To say that right now is the ideal time to make art that speaks directly to the people about social justice is an understatement. Because the very nature of art is to undertake or assume the role of a healer by shading light on the human condition.
View ExhibitionBee in Flight
Community artist and school art teacher MeLissa Kossick, who guides youth classes at the Museum on art, gardens, and pollinators, has created an enchanting mosaic design in the Creativity Pathway in the Serkland Gallery called Bee in Flight.
View Exhibition