Common Currents celebrates Hussein Samatar’s legacy
On Tuesday, new public art in Minneapolis was dedicated to the late Hussein Samatar, the first Somali American to be elected to public office in Minnesota. The two sections of the sculpture, titled Common Currents, are installed at the ends of Samatar Crossing, a pedestrian bridge connecting Cedar-Riverside to downtown Minneapolis named in honor of Samatar. Mayor Jacob Frey joined the City’s Department of Arts & Cultural Affairs in celebrating the new art piece.
“It’s fitting that the legacy of Hussein Samatar is represented in a bridge from Cedar Riverside to downtown because throughout his life as a servant leader – he was that bridge for our immigrant community,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Our city is fortunate to have this new public artwork dedicated to his vision and legacy of bringing people of all cultures together.”
Common Currents was created by local artists Ifrah Mansour, Aaron Marx, and Randy Walker. The wave-like sculpture is made of colorful metal panels inscribed with poetry by local writers Sun Yung Shin, Sharon M. Day, ShaVunda Brown, Aegor, Ahmed Said Salah, Sixco, and Mohamed Shariff. Their verses evoke themes central to Samatar’s legacy: immigrating to the city, bridging cultures, and bridging spaces.
“Each piece of Public Art is ultimately a celebration of community, and in this case it celebrates the Cedar/Riverside and West Bank neighborhood.” said Arts and Cultural Affairs Director Ben Johnson.
The May 28 celebration began at the west end of Samatar Crossing in downtown Minneapolis. The gathered crowd moved to the center of the bridge where several of the poets featured in the sculpture read their poems, then moved to the east end of the bridge where Mayor Frey spoke. Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman, whose ward includes the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, also addressed the attendees. Ubah Jama, Samatar’s spouse for 20 years, participated as well. She spoke at the event and thanked the City for the tribute.
“Common Currents symbolically honors the legacy and history of Hussein Samatar, and we are so proud of the public art team for administrating this important project in collaboration with Minneapolis-based artists, poets, and arts advocates,” said Johnson. “The poems featured will resonate for generations to come, and they will serve as a beautiful reminder of the importance of Mr. Samatar and his family.”
Hussein Samatar immigrated to the United States in 1991. In 2004, he founded the African Development Center, which continues to help immigrants throughout Minnesota build credit, buy homes, and start businesses. He was appointed to the Minneapolis Library Board of Trustees in 2006, and later was elected to the board of Minneapolis Public Schools. He passed away in 2013.