Anomalous Expansion

September 17 – October 8, 2016
Darul Uloom Islamic Center
977 5th Street East
St. Paul MN 55106

Anomalous Expansion is a landmark exhibition that features work by six Somali Minnesotan artists — high- lighting their art while asking the following questions: What is their role & responsibility as Somali artists? What does s/he have to say, contribute to and produce on the contemporary local and global artscape? In other words, what is his/her artistic station?

Anomalous Expansion elaborates on the significance of the sacred space, the Masjid, as both a public and private sphere — and in this instance serves as an alternative art location that affords these artists the footing to contem- plate and address conceptually both the Sublime and the Real through a culturally grounded aesthetic.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Abdi Roble, documentary photographer and founder of Somali Documentary Project, has been documenting the global Somali (Diaspora) migration for over a decade, with over 100,000 (black and white) photographs to date [10,000 from Minnesota alone]. Roble has been exhibited widely both nationally and internationally. He plans to use his 2016 Bush Foundation Fellowship to train to become an archivist and expand his leadership skills in archival management.

Aziz Osman, although formally trained in architecture with experience spanning over four decades, now works predominantly in painting, ceramics, and sculpture. Osman is a recipient of a 2009 Minnesota State Arts Board Cultural Community Partnership Grant. In 2014, Osman has been named The Best Professional Artist at the Fourth Annual Somali Entertainment Awards. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.

Ifrah Mansour is a multimedia performance and installation artist, employing digital weaving and movements throughout her sound projects. Mansour has exhibited her work in Minnesota, and is the recipient of a 2015 Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant.

Kaamil Haider is a graphic designer, photographer and the current artist in residence at the Somali Museum of Minnesota. He has done branding for both national and international institutions. He applies a holistic approach to design while exploring the human interaction with designed entities. In his practice, Haider takes into account the cultural implications that give meaning to design.

Mohamed Hersi is a painter, designer and has curated art and high end garments for Original Royal Refugee, a fashion label he established in 2011. To date, Hersi has shown his work locally and nationally.

Mohamud Mumin is a photographer and a visual storyteller based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the current American Swedish Institute Malmberg fellow and past recipient of a 2013 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Photographers. Mumin has exhibited his work locally and nationally.