Artist reception opens Second Annual North Dakota Human Rights Arts Festival in Bismarck

The Second Annual North Dakota Human Rights Arts Festival opens Friday, February 1 at the Bismarck Downtown Artist Cooperative in Bismarck, North Dakota.

An artist reception will take place from 6-8 p.m. on February 1 at BDAC. Artists will be on hand to speak about their motivations and the inspirations behind their work. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvers will be avilable. The event is free and open to the public.

The festival includes the work of thirty-five 2D, 3D, filmmakers and live performance artists from around the world. Each artist explores human rights, civil rights or social justice issues through their respective mediums. In addition to paintings, mixed media works and photographs, a series of experimental videos will also be a part of the festival. The exhibition may be viewed during normal business hours.

35 artists from around the world will have their works included as part of the traveling exhibition. 2D and 3D works as well as a series of looping experimental videos will be a part of the festival. Live performance works will take place during artist receptions scheduled throughout the exhibition calendar.

Artists who have work displayed in the exhibition include: Kinaoush Abedi’s “Alphabet”; Rachel Asher’s “Sunlight”; Kimble Bromley’s “Innocence Destroyed”; Jenny Balisle’s “Freedom”; Shane Balkowitsch’s “No Spiritual Surrender”; Kayla Branstetter’s “Innocence”; Kimberly Christianson’s “LOVE Knows no Color”; Gaurav Datta’s “Conflict and Mental Health in Kashmir: Exploring narratives of addiction and recovery”; Nancy Devine’s “The Dreamed”; James Faris’ “10 Commandments”; Kathleen Fettig’s “Shattered Hope”; Laura Forgie’s “Belladonna”; Mark Franz’s “When We Were Free”; Isaac Ruiz Gastélum’s “Iku Manieva”; Michael Genz’s “Mni Wiconi: Water is Life”; Lisa Gordillo’s “Las Cordenadas”, “Todas las poets que he” and “Prisa de Héroes”; Kay Gordon’s “I feel so honored”; Lourdes Hawley’s “Health, a fundamental right”; Glendon Henry’s “DAPL Kong”; Ken Kimmelman’s “Brushstrokes”; Joesph Larson’s “Bright Sky”; Ali LaRocks’ “Awaken”; Brett Lysne’s “The Lower Forty-Eight (HHOSTILE)”; Liz Minette’s “My Scorpio Broke”; Abtin Mozafari’s “Genesis”; Paul Noot’s “Make Music for Us to Enjoy”; Kim Olson’s “Man Made Borders”; Karen Perry-Anderson’s “A Murder Of… The Last Thing Virgil Saw”; Barzan Rostami’s “Balance”; Andrew Stark’s “Fragility”; Marilena Stavrakidis’ “I And Thou”; Beata Weber’s “Brandish”; Joyce Ellen Weinstein’s “The Blind Leading the Blind: Witness II”; Kathleen Williams’ “Ochumaré Takes On the Black Snake”; and Emily Vieweg’s “Vision”. Bios for the artists are available via the festival’s website.

The exhibitions and Artist Receptions are free to the public. Visit the specific gallery location for exhibition show times.

The mission of the North Dakota Human Rights Arts Festival is to educate, engage and facilitate discussion around local and world-wide human rights topics. The Second Annual North Dakota Human Rights Arts Festival is made possible through the generosity of The Arts Partnership, the City of Fargo’s Human Relations Commission, the City of Fargo’s Native American Commission, and through partnerships with Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, the NDSU Memorial Gallery, the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition.

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