No Time For Despair

Pasteur Mudende, No Time For Despair (Toni Morrison), 2020, Acrylic on Plywood

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. The sweeping rise in social justice protests amidst a worldwide pandemic has inevitably amplified the need for publicly significant and accessible art.

This mural is influenced by a quote from Toni Morrison that inspires dedication and resilience. “This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.” The goal of this mural was twofold: to intentionally iconize women activists and bring to light the role of Black women in the civil rights movement and to build a relationship between art and the public.

Located on the northside of the Katherine Kilbourne Burgum Center for Creativity along first avenue north.

Ongoing Exhibitions

Flight Without Fear

Ongoing
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.

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Convergence:

Ongoing
Convergence:
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.

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S.P.A.C.E. 2024-2026

Ongoing
S.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.

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No Time For Despair

Ongoing
No 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.

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Bee in Flight

Ongoing
Bee 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.

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