Two Rivers Gallery and All My Relations Arts have a joint exhibition, Reframe Minnesota: Art Beyond A Single Story that is an artistic/community generated response and recommendation concerning the future of art at the Minnesota State Capitol directed at the art committee, political leaders of Minnesota, and the general public. For further understanding, read Sheila Dickinson”'s article: Battle rages over racist paintings in the Minnesota State Capitol, in City Pages.
Artistic responses from K – 12 grade students will be on display at Two Rivers Gallery throughout the exhibition through a partnership with Scott Russell and Healing Minnesota Stories.
Healing Minnesota Stories (HMS), an initiative of the Saint Paul Interfaith Network, is dedicated to creating dialog, understanding, and healing between Native and non-Native peoples that raises awareness of the art in the Minnesota State Capitol and the offensive images of Manifest Destiny.
HMS volunteer and art teacher Rachel Latuff taught students about the art in the Capitol and challenged them to make alternative Capitol art that better represented their community, their hopes for Minnesota, and/or the state”'s recent history.
Art from each of these participating schools are on display.
Ӣ North View Junior High in Brooklyn Center.
Ӣ Oshki Ogimaag Community School in Grand Portage, A K-6 charter school rooted in Anishinaabe culture and language
Ӣ North Woods Community School in Cook
Ӣ The American Indian Magnet School in St. Paul and Andersen United Community School in Minneapolis K-8.
Current Minnesota State Capitol major renovation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make significant changes. The Minnesota State Capitol Preservation Commission created an Art Subcommittee to review the current art. Shelly Buck, president of the Prairie Island Indian Community wrote a strongly worded opinion piece in the Star Tribune titled: Minnesotans, it”'s time to move offensive art out of the people”'s house. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe submitted a formal letter to the Art Subcommittee asking the state to remove the “offensive and traumatizing art» from the Capitol. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community sent in their own recommendations. Sadly, the Art Subcommittee has issued very weak recommendations that do not involve removing any of the offensive art. On the positive side, the Capitol remodel will open a lot of new space for new art. This will be an opportunity to add new stories and new artists to our state Capitol, including the possibility of student art.
Funding for Two Rivers Gallery is provided by First Nations Development Institute, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, Minneapolis American Indian Center and individual donors and volunteers.
Gallery Hours: Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 4pm; Wednesday, 10am – 3pm
Contact: cthompson@maicnet.org
