Kaddatz Galleries Presents Two Powerful New Exhibitions Exploring History and Mortality

FERGUS FALLS, MN – Kaddatz Galleries announces the opening of two new exhibitions exploring themes of history, legacy, and mortality. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 20, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM CST.

“From Contraband to King: The Life of Prince Albert Honeycutt” by Charvis Harrell explores the life and legacy of Prince Albert Honeycutt, a man who escaped slavery as a child and eventually made his way to Minnesota. Honeycutt became a productive member of society while helping to form a baseball team in 1873, becoming the first Black professional ballplayer in the state of Minnesota. He remained in Fergus Falls for the rest of his life, operating a barbershop and even running for Mayor. The exhibition showcases themes of hard work, loyalty, and the beauty of resiliency as a tribute to the wonderful life of Prince Albert Honeycutt.

Charvis Harrell is a painter from Macon, Georgia who now lives in rural Minnesota. He is renowned for artworks that shed light on often-overlooked aspects of life, particularly within the context of Black history. His pieces aim to inspire viewers to challenge their perceptions and deepen their understanding of the world. In 2021, Harrell served as an artist-in-residence at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center in Minnesota, where he worked on a large-scale painting depicting Olli Kinkkonen, a Finnish immigrant lynched in Duluth in 1918 for his “un-American” views. This project exemplifies Harrell’s commitment to highlighting significant yet often overlooked historical narratives.

“A Death In 3 Parts – Part One: Disposition (2025)” by Kate Swenson features a grouping of paper mâché works that address not only various types of disposition but also questions that demand to be spoken, such as: Do we all end up in the same place at the very end? What does my culture tell me about disposition? Where do I find myself stretching over into a desire to fetishize another group’s disposition values and practices? How does control play into my choices and language around disposition? Is there an innate violence in disposition?

Kate Swenson is an emerging artist and sculptor based in rural Minnesota, with a background in funeral direction, hospice care, and tissue recovery. Her work uses paper mâché, found materials, and objects that might otherwise be discarded—transforming them into thoughtful, expressive sculptures. With a process that is slow and deliberate, Swenson’s work explores the craving for a new way to interact with death and dying while amongst an unsupportive personal and cultural paradigm that has a lack of depth and language surrounding death and dying.

Since 2013, Swenson has worked as a funeral director and embalmer, gaining firsthand experience with various death cultures and rituals, both in institutional settings and in personal practice. This deep connection to the death care field informs her art, which often focuses on the emerging patterns and shifting approaches to death in modern society. Through her work, Swenson pushes the edges of what we are ready to confront, seeking to create space for conversation and connection about death and its place in our lives.

Both exhibitions will be on display March 18th through April 26th; this activity is made possible, in part, by voters of Minnesota through a grant from Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Kaddatz Galleries is open Tuesdays – Saturdays from 12pm – 5pm and Thursdays from 12pm – 7pm; Admission is always free.

About Kaddatz Galleries:

Located in downtown Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Kaddatz Galleries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating regional artists while honoring the legacy of Charles Beck. Our main gallery features focused exhibitions and rotating works by regional artists, while Studio K provides space for experimental work by both established and emerging artists. We offer regular visual arts workshops and educational programs designed to make art accessible to diverse audiences. Admission to all galleries is always free. Learn more at kaddatzgalleries.org or by following us on Facebook and Instagram.