Kouba: Art That Cannot Be Ignored

By Jessica Verdi
Contributing Writer

The artwork of Mackenzie Kouba is familiar to many in the downtown Fargo area. She has seen increasing success over the past few years with numerous shows and collaborations; recently, her collection “Divine Oddities” traveled down to Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Currently, Mackenzie has a collection of new and old pieces at the Art Connection gallery on Broadway. Her show “2-D, 3-D and a Few in Between” showcases some of her trademark characteristics: bold colors, complex textures and imagery galore. Sculpture, paintings and a re-working of some older pieces all come together in this show that has as much to say as it does to look at.

I had the unique pleasure of meeting Mackenzie at the Art Connection for a personal tour and explanation of the work in this subtle, yet thought-provoking assemblage. The majority of pieces address contemporary issues such as the environment, war and politics; all mentally and emotionally heavy topics that mirror the heavy, saturated canvases. Her skill as an artist enables her to broach these serious issues in a way that doesn’ t jar or shock the viewer. Her beautiful color palette and use of slightly caricaturized, doe-eyed children gently lures the viewer in and then confronts them with complex and at times even ugly situations.

One of the most dynamic pieces is titled “When Your State Deals You Lemons…” subtitle: “Dear Tim, Please Stop!” This particular piece perhaps best showcases Kouba’ s aesthetic and technical ability. A young girl sits, framed by a barely visible lemonade stand. Next to her are a slingshot and half a dozen loons strung up for sale, one wearing a Pawlenty 2012 button. In the background lies a serene and somber lake (presumably one of Minnesota’ s 10,000) from which pink, balloon-shaped skulls rise. In person, one sees that just under the painted surface are feathers, giving the surface of the piece a rough, cracked layer. But the printed image seems completely smooth and flawless.

One may draw the conclusion that the state of education in Minnesota is just fine, however when we consider that the governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty has been cutting the budget for education throughout his entire term, one notices the fracturing effect this has on the children who are its direct victims. The narrative of this piece crescendos from looking at a girl in a lemonade stand to legitimate social examination. To quote the artist, “people seem to be more interested when there is a story to visually figure out.” This is just one theme this piece has to offer. The rest are yours to discover.

In addition to my personal tour, Mackenzie was kind enough to answer a few questions about her identity as an artist, why she appeals to such a large audience, and her hopes for career in the near future:

High Plains Reader: I know you had mentioned that you paint as a way of keeping your sanity. What drives you to be more than a “hobby” painter and to take on the subject matter that you do?

Mackenzie Kouba: Even in my youth, I never considered that art could be just a “hobby” to me. I am very passionate about painting and there is nothing I would rather be doing. A hobby implies something that you can remove yourself from at times and later return to; everything that I hear, see, read, experience, etc. is primarily comprehended in my mind with regards to what is being visually communicated, or how it could be visually communicated. My subject matter is closely tied to this; I consider my content an honest reaction to current events (which there is no lack of these days). I enjoy taking on this challenging subject matter because it is just that, a challenge. One of the pieces was inspired by a series of photographs that made me physically ill, not because they were gruesome, but because they depicted human cruelty. The things that really make you react, are the things worth reacting to.

HPR: Are there any themes you are hoping to explore in the future?

MK: There are a lot of themes that I have intentions to address or expand on, but it is hard to say what direction is goes from here.

HPR: You’ve gained quite a lot of popularity in the FM area over the past few years. What do you think is so appealing to the local viewer. What do you think they connect with in your work?

MK: To be honest, I have no idea. I have noticed that creating dialog seems to be very effective; people seem to be more interested when there is a story to visually figure out.

HPR: Since you do have this popularity, do you feel pressure to keep producing in order to maintain public awareness of you and your work? Do you feel that this lessens the quality of work that you do produce?

MK:  I think its more motivation then pressure, the public isn’t all that pushy. The more perspectives I hear regarding my work, the better even I understand it. In my opinion, it hasn’t compromised the quality of my work because regardless of public reaction, my own standards for my work is still the determining factor.

HPR: Do you have any aspirations to work outside of the FM area? Perhaps collaborations in other media?

MK: For now I am content here; the F-M area has a very engaging artist population and has allowed me the opportunity to collaborate with a few local artists already, and I am always open to them in the future.

HPR: Do you think you’ll ever progress from successful local artist and gain national recognition?

MK: That is the pipe-dream. I feel very fortunate for how my work has been received in this community and eventually I would like to put a few more miles between myself and my work.

The F-M community has embraced Kouba in a way most artists rarely experience. Her passion for painting along with a motivation to present the viewer with more than a pretty picture appeals to many in our community. In the days of over-the-top, gratuitous scenarios and images, art, and especially painting, struggles to retain relevance and to connect or attract viewers. Perhaps that’s why Mackenzie’ s work appeals to so many in this reserved area. It is restrained in a way we are no longer accustomed to, yet at the same time, carries a weight that cannot be ignored.

You can see “ 2-D, 3-D and a few in between; Paintings and assemblages by Mackenzie Kouba” at the Art Connection, 520 Broadway, Downtown Fargo from October 13th through November 13th with an artist reception on October 21st from 5pm-9pm.

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If You Go

What: Mackenzie Kouba: Artist Reception
Where: Art Connection
When: Thurs, Oct 21, 5-9pm
Info: 701.241.4520