2025/2026
Aragti Wadaag is a residency program by Soomaal House of Art designed to provide artists with a supportive environment to think, work, and develop their creative practices. The program aims to amplify artists' voices within the Somali community and create more equitable experiences for Somali-American artists in the greater art community. During the residency, artists create new artwork and engage with the community through workshops and artist talks. The program provides mentorship from established artists, skill-building workshops, and culminates in a six-week final exhibition.
The 2025/2026 resident artists are Abdimalik Ahmed, Miski Omar, Mumtaz Salad, and Sabrin Nur. This residency year is part of a special collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s Art Department, with grant and residency support from Liberal Arts Engagement Hub (The Hub).
Abdimalik Ahmed
Abdimalik is a filmmaker, poet, and photographer. He intends for his final pieces to be interwoven with poetry, creating a multidimensional experience where the art is greater than the sum of its parts. Abdimalik aims to create a short film and an accompanying photography series that push his creative boundaries.
Miski Omar
Miski is a musician and visual artist working in mosaics. Her meditative process involves using found objects like old bowls and scrap glass, reflecting on coexistence by bringing disparate materials into a unified whole. Miski’s goal is to connect with fellow Somali artists, deepen her craft, and research the historic relationship between Somalis and materials like ceramics and glass.
Mumtaz Salad
Mumtaz is a visual artist specializing in traditional materials like graphite, ink, and watercolor. Her art began as a personal outlet to process emotion, and her detailed work provides a quiet space for reflection, offering viewers a sense of calm and clarity. Mumtaz’s goal is to use the residency’s focused time to explore new techniques and create work that fosters personal connection.
Sabrin Nur
Sabrin is a multidisciplinary artist working in film, ceramics, music, and performance. Their work focuses on ancestral veneration and interconnectedness, using art to explore memory, belonging, and the wisdom held within community legacies. Sabrin plans to create their first cohesive visual body of work: an immersive installation featuring a short film and ceramic sculptures.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.