Opening reception for artist Kait O'Brien's exhibition titled Taxonomy: Obligate Mutualism. The exhibition includes beeswax encaustic collages, poetry installation, and video. This body of work explores the strained human relationship with the fragile and critical pollinators in the Southwest on whom we depend.

Without pollinators, our world would look drastically different. These invertebrates, birds and mammals are critically important to the health of our ecosystems in the Southwest and across the world—but in many places their lives are threatened. Whether from loss of habitat, disease or chemical use, the decline of pollinators is the result of manmade actions that do not take accountability for the sensitive ecosystems in which we live.

Kait O’Brien (she/her) is a visual artist and poet based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Working in a variety of mediums and modalities, Kait explores the idea of place, political geography and the subconscious through topographical maps, encaustic and traditional painting techniques, collage, and poetry.