Freshwater New Look Weekend

January 26 - 28, 2024

A weekend of events celebrating four new exhibitions.

Mustafah Abdulaziz

New York born and Berlin-based photographer Mustafah Abdulaziz (b. 1986) has devoted over a decade of his life to capturing the compelling narrative of climate change's profound impact on humanity. Abdulaziz has meticulously documented global water issues through his ongoing Water series. This ambitious project explores diverse regions, from the arid landscapes of Somalia to Brazilian river basins, Pakistani city centers, China’s Yangtze River, and California's brushlands. Through large-scale installations, Abdulaziz brings these critical narratives to the forefront, delving beneath the surface of the world’s most vital resource—water—offering a remarkable perspective on humanity's connection with this indispensable element. His notable achievements include the prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Award, support from National Geographic, and fellowships from the Alicia Patterson and Bertha Foundations. Abdulaziz's photographs grace renowned publications like The New York Times, TIME, and Der Spiegel, while his work finds representation in exhibitions worldwide, spanning galleries, museums, and public spaces.

Dr. Bob

Robert Armstrong aka Dr. Bob has been performing as Dj Rhumpshaker since the year 2000. A rabid fan of multiple genres of music, Rhumpshaker got his start playing at house parties and art openings. Eventually settling in as the house Dj for the no name bar and hosting monthly dance parties for the last 10 years. Dj Rhumpshaker is also a multi instrumentalist and enjoys throwing his own original productions into the mix. Best known for his deep funk cuts, Dj Rhumpshaker also enjoys a wide variety of musical styles and is constantly exploring new and old music genres. An active member of the online Dj community you can find over a hundred of his mixes on mixcloud.com.

Jada Brown

Jada Brown, also going by the name Downtown Jada Brown, is a vocalist, writer, and composer based in Minneapolis, Mnisota. Growing up in the northwest region of the Twin Cities and a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, they came to Minneapolis to be a part of a larger artist community and also connected to her Ojibwe roots more. She had many musical influences growing up that produced her unique sound, which she continuously likes to express and mix styles and genres. Laced with warm and jazzy vocals over captivating melodies, Jada delivers equally powerful and emotional live performances. Admiration is their solo debut album available across all digital streaming services, they are also featured on a number of musicians' works in the Twin Cities and beyond. Follow her journey and stay updated at downtownjadabrown on IG.  Listen to and support her music at https://lnk.bio/downtownjadabrown where you can find upcoming shows and interviews. 

Nick Fox

Nick Fox is the founder and director of the Center for American Marine Art. He is also an award winning marine artist and currently serves as president of the American Society of Marine Artists. After graduating from Harvard College, Nick worked in the business world at International Creative Management and the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. When his wife was getting her Ph.D at Yale, he ran the acquisitions department at Yale University Press, as well as the Yale Series of Younger Poets, Human Rights Watch publications, and Yale Judaica. He also served as an editor of the Journal of Law and Humanities at Yale Law School. He is a three-time Emmy Award nominee for his television writing with WGBH in Boston. Nick has worked as an educational consultant with many non-profit cultural institutions around the country, including PBS, The New England Conservatory, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Minnesota Orchestra and the Music-in-Education National Consortium. He has provided pro-bono outreach content for the Mystic Seaport Museum and recently served as Director of Special Projects for the National Maritime Historical Society.

Karen Goulet

Karen E. Goulet (b.1959 ), is a White Earth Ojibwe Band member and is also from Métis, and Finnish people. She is a practicing visual artist, poet, educator, and community sculptor. Water is her first love, first memories, and her medicine. Water permeates her narratives with waterways serving as the vital connection to family and cultural roots. She serves as the Miikanan Gallery Program Director at the Watermark Art Center in Bemidji, Minnesota, and is the recipient of grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Waterers Fellowship, and the Region 2 Arts Council. Karen also played a pivotal role as a pilot artist for the Big River Continuum Project. Her artistic focus revolves around community, environment, and the preservation of culture. Throughout her life, Karen has dedicated both her professional and personal endeavors to the creation, sharing, and encouragement of artistic practice. 

Sarah Johnson

Sarah Johnson is a community engaged artist, licensed mental health professional (LPC) and human with many years experience in prevention, mental health, art, and community building. She founded The Joy Labs, LLC in 2021 and is working to build healthier, more equitable communities. 

Mary Jo Klinker

Mary Jo Klinker (she/they) is a professor in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Winona State University. Her research focuses on the relation of queer activism and theory to feminist antimilitarist organizing and anti-imperialist critique. Mary Jo teaches courses in LGBTQ+ studies and history, abolition feminist and queer politics, and transnational feminist solidarity.

Patrick O’Brien

Patrick O’Brien is an award-winning artist whose striking paintings depict the classic age of sail. A full time artist since the 1980s, his clients have included National Geographic, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Smithsonian. O’Brien’s paintings have been featured several times on the cover of Naval History magazine, published by the U.S. Naval Institute, and the cover of Sea History magazine, published by the National Maritime Historical Society. His paintings have been used on numerous book covers, and shown in The New York Times. In 2010 the U.S. Naval Academy Museum mounted a retrospective exhibition entitled of O’Brien’s work. He won the Distinguished Service Award from The National Maritime Historical Society for his body of artwork, and the Oustanding Service Award from the American Society of Marine Artists. O’Brien lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his wife and son.

Willows

Hailing from the Twin Cities, Willows is an indie folk ensemble that's swooned and captivated audiences across stages. Drawing from many musical influences, it's hard to pin down one genre for Willows. Their sound consists of two main vocalists singing melodic harmonies over lyrical guitar riffs, often inquiring into matters of environmental and social concerns. 

Monique Verdin

Monique Verdin is an transdisciplinary artist and storyteller who documents the complex relationship between environment, culture, and climate in southeast Louisiana. She is a citizen of the Houma Nation, director of The Land Memory Bank & Seed Exchange and is supporting the Okla Hina Ikhish Holo (People of the Sacred Medicine Trail), a network of Indigenous gardeners, as the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network's Gulf South food and medicine sovereignty program manager. Monique is co-producer of the documentary My Louisiana Love and her work has been included in a variety of environmentally inspired projects, including Cry You One multi platform performance that utilizes the unique music and stories of Louisiana to inspire connections between people working to steward the natural world wherever they live, Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas (University of California Press), and the collaborative book Return to Yakni Chitto: Houma Migrations (University of New Orleans Press).

Photo Credit: Akasha Rabut