2022 Artist/Educator in Residence
nipinet landsem
nipinet landsem is Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District’s first Artist in Residence.
A local tattoo artist, illustrator and community educator, nipinet is excited to bring their heritage, their artistic vision, and their commitment to water to this residency. An Indigequeer Anishinaabe and Michif artist currently based in Madison, they are a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and are deeply drawn to the history of the lakes and prairies they grew up on. nipinet is also passionate about using art to tell contemporary Indigenous stories. They have been telling these stories with their tattoo clients for four years and are co-owner of giige, an Indigenous and queer-owned and focused artist collective.
nipinet brings a wide variety of experience to the residency. They have 20 years of experience in making art in a variety of media, including painting, digital art, large-scale art actions, block and risograph printing techniques and has been tattooing for 4 years. They are also experienced traditional arts, including finger weaving, moccasin making, quilting, and sewing. As a saasaakwe jingle dress dancer, they have led community events through giige.
Additionally, nipinet coordinates Madison networks of mutual aid, which earned the Outreach LGBTQ+ Community Center’s Trans Activist of the Year Award in 2021.
"Teejop has always been a place of water. Since time immemorial, the isthmus has housed a center of Indigenous community and connection. Water brings people together. As the Shop One Artist in Residence, I will celebrate this connecting flow, utilizing my experience as an Indigenous community educator, activist, and artist to bring together our shared water community with events and public arts practice."
Residency Summary
As the first Shop One Artist/Educator in residence, nipinet focused on opening channels of communication with the community to uncover personal connections to water. Activities throughout 2022 included, dialogues, events, and social media interaction with the @OneWaterMadison Channel. these questions guided conversations.
Events
- Water as Community, Water as Kin: 3/26/22
- Generational Effects of Water 6/4/22
- International Perspectives 8/7/22
- Food Sovereignty 9/24/22
- Water Protectors 12/3/22
Final Illustrations & Zines
What was heard throughout the various dialogues/focus groups, events, and social media conversations around the five established event/topics informed creation of an illustration, and/or and zines (what’s a zine?):
This residency is the first of a series of Catalytic Projects for the District & Shop One. Design of this residency was supported by the US Water Alliance Arts & Culture Accelerator program. Community members served as creative collaboration advisors to guide development of this residency and other catalytic projects.
