2101 Central St
Kansas City
Missouri
Mark Cowardin’s sculptural installations use basic building materials, such as ladders, fluorescent lights, and electrical cords, to bathe the viewer and the gallery in an implied serenity inspired by skyscapes and sunsets. Through his unexpected use of these found materials, Cowardin seeks to highlight humanity’s sometimes absurd relationship with Nature. The sculptures in this exhibition sing with levity and joy, but in truth, each work also holds the stress of its creation. Through his use of ordinary materials, Until the Sun Moves cleverly beckons viewers into deeper contemplation of our existence’s complexities.
Illustrative of this irony, Cowardin’s sculptures connect to electrical outlets through power cords whose length serves as a reminder of our dependence on and impact upon nature. Borrowed from Aesop’s fable of “The Two Clouds,” the exhibition title references the fleeting nature of life. Until the Sun Moves embodies this dependency upon the grid, even as it imitates natural phenomena, and calls us to consider our larger role within a delicate planet.
Location and Accessibility
Crossroads Hotel
2101 Central Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Until the Sun Moves is on view at Crossroads Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Crossroads Hotel Gallery and art program is organized by El Dorado and Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.
About the Artist
Mark Cowardin is an artist whose sculptural work explores the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world. With a keen awareness of his connection to the environment, his art sheds light on the paradoxical beauty of humanity’s damaging impact on nature. Cowardin holds an MFA in sculpture from the University of Arizona and a BFA from the University of Kansas. He currently resides in Lawrence, Kansas, with his family. His work is featured in various private and public collections, including the John Michael Kohler Art Center, Kohler Corporation, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, and Rockhurst University. His large-scale installation, Drift, was recently showcased in the Sun Drinks White exhibition at the Nerman Museum.
About Crossroads Hotel
Located in the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City, Missouri, Crossroads Hotel is not a place to pass through; it is a place to experience the city’s thriving arts community. Here, the neighborhood has undergone a fascinating transformation that is largely driven by artists. Crossroads Hotel’s art collection recognizes that cultural legacy, draws it into the hotel, and shares it publicly. Over 40 artists’ works are on view throughout the hotel, and each of them are either based in Kansas City or emerged from here—representing both the local roots and global reach of Kansas City’s artists.
Organized by el dorado inc. and Contemporary Arts Museum, Crossroads Hotel’s gallery and studio program presents visitors with the opportunity to meet local artists, see their work, and have an intimate experience of the city’s cultural vibrancy. Its gallery is a dynamic exhibition space that changes quarterly to reflect and amplify the energy of the neighborhood. Exhibitions, artist commissions, performances, and unexpected artist-driven experiences intimately connect visitors to the creative life of the Crossroads Arts District. Along with the public gallery and local creative contributions to the interiors, amenities and delicacies, Crossroads Hotel also offers an artist-in-residence program. The program supports artists making new works and often leads to exhibitions or new artworks installed within the hotel.
About Beyond CAMH
Beyond CAMH is a newly launched initiative that reflects contemporary art’s ever-expanding influence through an ongoing series of artist-driven projects and public partnerships extending beyond the walls of the Museum. CAMH’s work outside our galleries—including public artworks and cross-sector collaborations—aims to reach new audiences, embrace unexpected contexts, and directly impact civic life in Houston and beyond. Spanning multiple scales and contexts, Beyond CAMH positions artists as primary catalysts of cultural and public realm transformation.