The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center (NYMRCC) is excited to announce the installation of Cloud Coverage, a temporary public art project by Fargo-based artist Tobias Zikmund. Installation of the project took place on August 19, with five large, quilt-inspired banners appearing at public locations throughout New York Mills. An Artist Reception will be held Thursday, Sept. 17 from 5-7 p.m. at the Cultural Center, and the public is invited to attend.

Designed specifically for outdoor spaces, Cloud Coverage transforms familiar locations into an open-air gallery. The bold, quilt-like artworks create striking visual landmarks throughout the community while inviting residents and visitors to slow down, linger, and experience public spaces in new ways.

The five banners are installed at locations including:

• The exterior of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center

• The New York Mills Sculpture Park

• The New York Mills School tennis courts

• An empty lot on Miller Street across from Casey’s

• An empty lot on Miller Street across from the Pool

As part of the installation, the artworks respond to their outdoor surroundings. Some banners hang and move with the breeze, while others are installed as modular, in-ground works. Together, the five installations encourage viewers to explore the community and discover the artwork within the landscape of New York Mills.

Inspired by the visual language of quilts and fiber arts, Cloud Coverage offers an experience that is both contemporary and familiar. Quilts and fiber arts connect people across generations, cultures, and lived experiences, making the installation approachable and enjoyable for a wide range of audiences.

“Public art gives us an opportunity to see the places we know every day in a different way,” said Megan Shirley-Ross, Artistic Director of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. “With Cloud Coverage, these bold and unexpected works will appear throughout our community and invite people to slow down, explore, and experience New York Mills through a new lens.”

Raised in rural northeastern North Dakota, Tobias Zikmund’s work explores relationships between landscape, place, rural communities, and civic life. Through painting and public art, his work creates opportunities for people to engage more deeply with their surroundings and with one another.

By spreading Cloud Coverage across multiple sites, the project encourages fuller exploration of New York Mills. Residents and visitors are invited to walk, bike, or drive between locations to discover all five installations and experience how the artworks interact with the community and changing outdoor environment.

The public is also invited to an Artist’s Reception to meet the artist, Tobias Zikmund, and celebrate Cloud Coverage together on Thursday, Sept. 17 from 5-7 p.m at the Cultural Center. Light refreshments provided. All are welcome; no cost to attend. 

Cloud Coverage will be on display for a limited time (currently planned through the end of September). The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center invites the community and visitors to explore all five locations and experience this unique temporary installation while it is on view.

For more information, visit the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center website or call 385-3339.