Dyani White Hawk (Sičáŋǧu Lakota) is a visual artist and independent curator based in Northeast Minneapolis Arts District in the Thorp Building. White Hawk was a 2017–18 Bemis exhibiting artist in Monarchs: Brown and Native Contemporary Artists in the Path of the Butterfly. The annual $5,000 unrestricted award is designed to provide financial support to increase the capacity of a Bemis alum’s practice. Funds may be used for any purpose and do not need to be tied to a specific project or body of work. This award is by nomination only and selected by a panel of curators and art historians.
The selection panel was captivated by Dyani White Hawk’s practice, both her take on abstraction through traditional Lakota techniques and her multi-channel video work, Listen, which showcases Indigenous women speaking their language in the specific region of its origin. Bemis is extremely pleased to highlight and support the continuation of this important work with the 2020 Bemis Alumni Award of our formal Alumni Program.