2023 – 2024 Program
Soomaal Visual Arts Fellowship is an initiative by Soomaal House of Art in partnership with Augsburg University Art Galleries. The artists considered for these fellowships work in a variety of visual art media, including both traditional and new media. During the twelve-month fellowship year, each artist receives studio visits, access to technical assistance and a culminating gallery exhibition at Augsburg University.
Mohamed Hersi and Wasima Farah, the selected 2023-24 fellows, will produce a body of work that will culminate in an exhibition from August 28 - November 12 at Augsburg University’s Gage Family Art Gallery and Christensen Center Art Gallery. The exhibition will have educational components to supplement artworks such as public presentations and panel discussions around the show and contemporary Somali visual art.
Artists Talk & Reception
September 7, 6 – 8 PM
August 28 - November 12, 2024
The exhibit and its programs are
free for the public.
Mohamed Hersi
Christensen Gallery
720 22nd Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Wasima Farah
Gage Gallery
2211 Riverside Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Mohamed Hersi
Mohamed Hersi’s artistic practice resides at the intersection of minimalism and abstract expressionism, drawing inspiration from his rich cultural heritage and personal experiences. Born in New Delhi, India, following his family’s displacement from Somalia during the civil war in 1990, Mohamed immigrated to the United States at the age of nine. His artistic palette is deeply influenced by the vibrant colors and architectural marvels of his birthplace, particularly during the “Holi” festival.
Wasima Farah
Wasima Farah is a Graphic Designer and Visual Artist with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Marketing Education from CEHD (College of Education and Human Development) at the University of Minnesota. With a love for art and film, she started her freelance career as a graphic designer in 2017 working with brands and organizations and working as Creative Director at The Digital Sisterhood, Graphic Designer and Creative Strategist at Soomaal House of Art, Graphic Designer at Rabata.
Soomaal House of Art is a Minnesota-based Somali artists collective and artists-run organization. Soomaal supports and helps students, emerging and established artists find artistic community, mentorships, fellowships, resources and opportunities. Soomaal provides a platform for artists who want to use art to shape and frame critical discourse around vexing local and global matters within their respective communities and inspire them to harness the power of art as a tool for intellectual and civic engagement.
The Augsburg Art Galleries (AAG) is comprised of three main on-campus art spaces: Gage Family Art Gallery, Christensen Center Art Gallery, and Gallery720. Found on both ends of the Minneapolis campus, these spaces are dedicated to cultivating creative ideas and intellectual growth through direct engagement with visual art. The mission of the AAG is to serve our community through supporting the innovation and experimentation of visual artists as they foster creativity, conversation, engagement, and critical thinking. This community includes the students, faculty, and staff of Augsburg as well as the regional, national, and international exhibiting artists, alumni, surrounding neighborhoods, and wider Twin Cities public.