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The Chief Buffalo Mural in Duluth visually tells the story of a community and the descendants of Chief Buffalo, remembered as a prominent figure that led the Anishinaabe to permanent resettlement in northern Minnesota.

Started in 2019 and led by artist Moira Villiard, this project also features work from other artists such as Michelle Defoe (Red Cliff Ojibwe), Awanigiizhik Bruce (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe), and Sylvia Houle (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe).

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Four Duluth mural artists
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Artist Moira Villiard standing in front of the mural

The Artists

Moira Villiard

Michelle Defoe

Awanigiizhik Bruce

Sylvia Houle

I hope people get an authentic taste of many different aesthetics, many different visuals, historical imagery and contemporary imagery.

Moira Villiard

About the Organization

For more than 112 years, Duluth Art Institute has been providing arts programming to Duluth and the surrounding region. The institute strives to enrich the daily lives of its community with dynamic innovative visual arts programming that upholds excellence and promotes inclusive community participation.

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This project is part of Art in This Present Moment, an initiative of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. We provided grants to three Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations to fund work by BIPOC artists who are changing and challenging dominant narratives through their craft.

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