Living Histories
circa 2026
artwork by youth from Leech Lake Reservation
In 2026 In Progress artists worked with students from the Bug O Nay Ge Shig School to support them in creating digital photographs and video that honored fifty years of storytelling and learning at the Bug O Nay Ge Shig School. This year’s residency was led by a youth production team from Niigaane Bizindamoo-makak. The team worked with students, teachers and elders throughout the school and worked to create the artwork below. It is a program that is dedicated to honoring intergenerational relationships in the common effort to honor the culture of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.
Anooj izhitigweyaa i'iw ziibi
A video honoring the role of Ojibwe language and culture education in all aspects of learning at the school. Students conducted interviews, collected visuals and edited the video. They were supported by artist in residence Kristine Sorensen, who has been working with generations of students at the school since 1989.
Hall of Fame
Students photographed learning and activity throughout the school. They reviewed and selected 20 images from over 1000 taken to represent what they felt celebrated student achievement. These image are now being printed as larger than life posters and will be mounted in the hallways over the summer as a greeting to visitors
NIIGAANE PORTRAITS
Niigaane Bizindamoo-makak artist Lucy Kingbird took on a leadership role of photographing and teaching camera basics to students of the Niigaane Language Immersion Program. She was supported by resident artist TJ Lor in how to manage manual settings and work with youth to pose for their images.
Graduation Portraits
Niigaane Bizindamoo-makak artist Nigig Humphrey worked under the guidance of In Progress artist TJ Lor to photograph a big graduation event for Head Start students. Nigig photographed the day’s event and sorted through more than 800 photos to provide images for staff and parents of the young graduates.
Living Histories and our partnership with the Bug O Nay Ge Shig school dates back to 1989. Funding in recent years has been predominantly from the National Endowment for Arts - Arts Education Program as well as a series of individuals, program partners and foundations.
For more information please send an email to info@in-progress.org