Courtesy of Redesign, Inc.
A new development in Minneapolis’ Seward area is taking the concept of neighborhood “beautification” to new heights. Wadaag Commons, which provides 39 units of affordable housing, is also the new home of more than $500,000 in permanent art installations, both inside and outside the building. Planners say the artwork—which includes a large-scale mural that faces I-94 and Hiawatha Avenue—is one of the most visible Islamic-inspired public art installations in the city. Shannon Brunette is the CEO and founder of Office of Cultural Work, an arts management collaborative that coordinated partnerships between the building and featured artists. “At Wadaag Commons, we were honored to be that bridge again—centering local artists whose work brings beauty, belonging, and cultural pride into every corner of the building,” Brunette says.
One of those local artists is Yasmin Yassin. “This was one of my most enriching projects I’ve work on to date,” says Yassin, whose primary focus is photography. “Being able to co-create with so many talented artists was a joy.”
Andy Hestness, executive director of Redesign, the project’s co-developer, says, “When people pass Wadaag Commons, we want them to see the pride of our neighborhood… The artwork reflects the stories, cultures, and aspirations of the people who live here, and our ‘welcome’ extends to everyone who passes by.” Redesign co-developed the property in partnership with Somali- and woman-owned Noor Companies.
Courtesy of Redesign, Inc.
In addition to Yassin, Twin Cities artists on the project include Aziz Osman, Hibaaq Ibrahim, Ifrah Mansour, Hend Al-Mansour, Mohammed Hersi, and Sayge Carroll. They worked on murals, installations, and even design elements that were integrated into the building itself. The Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center was brought on to help fabricate metalwork. “Working with the artists on this project was such a delight,” says Heather Sona Lasair, the arts center’s artistic director. “Weathering steel and vitreous enamel may have been new to them, but you’d never know it. Creating architectural metalwork in spaces where art and everyday life exist in harmony was a natural evolution of their practices.”
In general, the building’s art pieces all reflect East African and Islamic artists traditions, all designed around the concept that home should be a sacred place. In a recent release, organizers said, “In the fact of increased anti-immigrant rhetoric and immigration enforcement in Minnesota, the resonance of this work celebrating Somali, East African, and Islamic cultural traditions becomes even more important.”
Wadaag Commons will host a public celebration and dedication this Saturday, July 11, from noon to 2 p.m.
Wadaag Commons, 1900 E. 22nd St., Minneapolis; redesigninc.org
