Art In This Present Moment
Sharon Day and Sir Curtis Kirby III Honor Loved Ones through Art
Grandmother Sharon Day and her grandson Sir Curtis Kirby III honor loved ones who have passed on by doing a series of ofrendas celebrating the lives they lived.
Ofrendas have been a way Sharon has celebrated her loved ones for years. An ofrenda is an altar, most notably associated with The Day of the Dead, that consists of a set of items often associated with a person who has passed, such as photographs, personal items that belonged to them and food the person particularly enjoyed. After the pandemic, Sharon and her grandson found it even more important to communicate with their family, relatives and community.
This project was created in partnership with Pangea World Theater.
The Artists
Sharon Day - Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe leader, Indigenous activist and Executive Director of the Indigenous Peoples Task Force
Sir Curtis Kirby III - Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, artist and director of the Ikidowin Youth Theater Ensemble
About the Organization
Pangea World Theater strives to build a just world by creating a multi-disciplinary theater that embodies decolonizing practices of solidarity, sustainability and equity. Since its inception in 1995, it has worked with artists to create new aesthetic realities for an increasingly diverse audience.
“Every person represented here, whether they’re infants or elders… they were loved and they lived their lives to the fullest.”
Sharon Day
Art In This Present Moment
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.
More Stories
A Letter from Chanda On Her First Day
Chanda Smith Baker, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation President & CEO, shares a note to community on her first day leading the Foundation.
Read the letter
Inspiring Generosity in the Arts
At a recent Giving+Together event, art leaders addressed the economic and cultural benefits of the arts in our lives.
See the Highlights
Warroad RiverPlace: Where Art Meets Community Engagement
Learn how one arts nonprofit is making art more accessible in Warroad.
Read the story
Chanda Smith Baker Named President & CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
Meet the Foundation's New President & CEO in this letter to community from Board Chair Dr. Joseph Lee.
Read the news
Celebrating the Strength of Saint Paul’s Neighborhoods
Listen to stories from Saint Paul community leaders representing Rondo, Frogtown, the East Side, the West Side and the Mississippi River.
See the impact
1 Day At A Time: Connecting Unhoused Minnesotans to Housing Resources
Learn how Richard McLemore II is bridging the gap between housing resources and those who need them most.
See the impact
Finding Joy in Remembrance: Honoring George Floyd Five Years Later
Leslie E. Redmond organizes commemorative event for George Floyd and reflects on her work as an activist.
Read the announcement
The Foundation Convenes Minnesota Experts on the Housing Continuum
Housing leaders emphasize the economic and social benefits of addressing the state's growing housing crisis.
See the Highlights