HAHarvey Walden
2 weeks agoND Museum of Art to Host Talk and Discussion on Human Rights
June 16, 4:30 – 6 pm
Moderated discussion between Artist Fawzia Khan and Dalton Erickson of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition.
Join us for an artist’s talk and discussion about Human Rights. Artist Fawzia Khan will begin the event with an overview of her current exhibition at NDMOA titled Ubuntu. The expression is derived from the late South African theologian and Anti-Apartheid activist Desmond Tutu and it translates roughly as: “My humanity is inextricably bound up in yours.” Khan seeks to remind us of our common bonds despite our differences. In response to Khan’s overview, Dalton Erickson of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition will provide commentary and follow-up questions before opening up the floor for questions from the audience.
NDMOA Curator Anna Sigridur Arnar will introduce Khan and Erickson and serve as moderator of the conversation. The discussion and reception, including hors d’oeuvres and beverages, are free and open to the public. Parking is available, at no charge, in front of the Museum located on the University of North Dakota campus.
About Fawzia Khan’s Artwork
Artist Statement: My practice as a sculptor and multidisciplinary artist includes working with a variety of media and techniques, and choosing what best suits my concept. My work is best described as social commentary, examining issues that reveal humanity’s frailties and foibles to engage viewers and to open space for dialogue and reflection. Since graduation, I have expanded my repertoire of woodworking and metal casting to include digital drawing, screen printing on fabric, hand embroidery, digital embroidery, quilting, weaving and some video. I am interested in what unites us. My hope is that the work sparks a deep conversation amongst the viewers through which they see the “other’s” point of view and in doing so acknowledge our common humanity. This creates an opportunity for understanding and resolution. My work reflects my lived experience as an immigrant woman of color, a physician and a mother.
Fawzia Khan
Fawzia Khan is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Hopkins, Minnesota. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, to Pakistani parents, she immigrated to the United States at age twelve. A former obstetrician/gynecologist, she returned to Minnesota State University Moorhead to study art, graduating with a BFA in 2005 from the University of Minnesota. Khan’s work is best described as social commentary. She examines issues that reveal humanity’s frailties and foibles, engaging viewers and opening space for dialogue and reflection. Working in a variety of media, she uses art to examine societal conflicts. To see the “other’s” point of view acknowledges our shared humanity and creates the opportunity for understanding and resolution.
Khan received Minnesota State Arts Board grants in 2020 and 2024, and was a 2022 and 2025 McKnight Fiber Artist Fellowship finalist. Her work is included in many public and private collections and she is one of the featured artists on the Twin Cities Public Television program MNOriginal. Khan is an active member of two national multiethnic artist collectives, the Habibtis and the Paglees, and the Interfaith Artists Circle in the Twin Cities. She has been a juror for the Minnesota State Fair Arts Competition and served to develop a public art program in Hopkins, MN. She is a current member of Form + Content Gallery in Minneapolis.
Dalton Erickson
Leading the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is a challenge Dalton Erickson has been preparing for their entire professional life. Growing up in a military family instilled “service” as a fundamental value early in life. Their travels throughout the world taught them what human rights abuses look like on the ground. They are a grassroots political and community organizer who has worked on building connections between organizations, engaging youth in the democratic process, and training people to become effective advocates. They’ve organized events ranging from protests to lectures on government, political activism, economic injustice, housing rights, reproductive rights, and LGBTQIA2S+ rights.
