Vibrant by Mary Catherine Solberg: Mixed media on canvas; 61cm x 45cm; 2025
The mixed media artist shares her experience being a part of Motherland.
What does it mean to you to be part of this art exchange?
It’s deeply meaningful for me. My great-great-grandparents emigrated from near Oslo in 1866, and their journey has always been part of my family’s story. Growing up, I remember a photo of the original Solberg homestead hanging in our library—a constant reminder of where we came from and the resilience of those who made a new life in America. To be part of Motherland feels like honoring that legacy while also creating a living dialogue between the past and the present, Norway and Minnesota, tradition and contemporary art.
What do you hope viewers of your work take away from this exhibition?
My layered portraits explore memory and how the past—whether real or imagined—shapes the present and the future. Some imagery is clear and immediate, while other fragments fade or surface like half-remembered thoughts. I’m drawn to how time changes things, how surfaces erode, how colors fade and how history leaves its mark. For me, it’s not only about what is lost but about the strange beauty in what remains.
Within the context of Motherland, these themes take on another dimension. Just as age leaves its traces on people and objects, migration leaves its traces on families, communities and culture. I hope viewers sense that tension between fragility and endurance and feel both the personal and collective stories layered beneath the surface—reminders of how heritage continues to shape who we are today.
Mary Catherine Solberg
Instagram: @driftlessicons
