Above, Below & Beyond

WHERE

MCBA Outlook Gallery

WHEN

August 15, 2026–October 24, 2026

Viewable from the street (and from inside the shop during open hours)

Above, Below, & Beyond brings the unseen to light...showcasing the complex tallgrass prairie ecosystem that goes unseen by many. Prairie grasses and soil microbes are captured as watermarks and are concealed or revealed based on light source and viewing position. The watermarks of grasses and soil microbes transition into each other, representing their long existence of adaptation and symbiotic relationships.

This work is made entirely of handmade paper and assembled by hand to represent the active role humans have in understanding and caring for the environment. The pattern of the assembled paper references the cellular structure of Big Bluestem, a prominent prairie grass. Above, Below, & Beyond re-examines human constructed systems and landscapes through the symbiotic relationships present in the tallgrass prairie. It is these relationships rooted in reciprocity that are emphasized, to showcase that the tallgrass prairie is not passive or stagnant, but a living, enduring and evolving entity. This work questions how human-constructed systems and landscapes, both —urban and rural—can be more compatible with natural processes.

Born and raised in Aberdeen, SD, Lexie Doerr (she/her) has a strong tie to the midwest, and is i

nterested in the intersection of environment, place, and identity.

She employs storytelling as a method of identifying and sharing the similarities and differences between people and the “more-than-human” world. Her interdisciplinary practice combines digital media, handmade paper, printmaking, book arts, and original writing.

Lexie is a recent graduate from the University of Iowa, earning her MFA in Graphic Design and Printmaking with a Graduate Certificate from the Center for the Book. She graduated from the University of Louisville in 2019 with a M.A. in Art History with an emphasis in Curatorial Studies.

She holds a B.A. in Graphic Design from Northern State University.

Her work has been shown across the Midwest: North American Hand Papermakers Member Showcase, St. Paul, MN; JFAC Gallery, Aberdeen, SD; Mainframe Studios, Des Moines, IA; 4th Midwest Open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL; and in the traveling South Dakota Governor’s 9th Biennial.