Aziz Osman, born in northern Somalia, he grew up in Mogadishu, the country’s capital. In 1968, he received a scholarship to study in Florence, Italy. After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts, he lived in Italy and traveled through Europe until 1989. He returned to Somalia, where he found inspiration and acclaim for his work, but when the war broke out he was forced to leave the country. He arrived in Minnesota in 1991 as part of the first wave of Somalis to resettle here. His work is both figural, depicting traditional life in Somalia, and semi-abstract, with colorful, geometrical shapes. Osman’s work has been shown at the Somali Museum of Minnesota, the African Development Center, the Midtown Global Market (where he did a mural), and Public Art St. Paul. His work was also on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art during the museum’s first Somali exhibit “I am Somali”.

Please join us for an artist reception, August 19, 2018 from 6-8pm to meet Aziz and to enjoy his stories and beautiful artwork.