About

Joseph J. Allen (Lakota/Ojibwe) currently lives on the White Earth Ojibwe Reservation in Northern Minnesota. He has been exhibiting his art for over 18 years. His photographs are in the collections of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, the Minnesota Historical Society and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community archives. His work has also appeared in the books, “Beloved Child” and “Minnesota in Our Time: A Photographic Portrait.” Joe has won awards for his work, including a “best photo spread” honor by the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) in 1998. He also won a McKnight Photography Fellowship in 1993.

Selected Exhibitions
2011 — Group Exhibitor, Powderhorn Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN
2011 — Twin Cities American Indian Arts Festival, Minneapolis, MN
2011 — Original Green (revisited), All My Relations Arts, Minneapolis, MN
2010 — Group Exhibitor, Powderhorn Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN
2010 — This is Displacement, Edge Center for the Arts, Bigfork, MN
2010 — Foot in the Door, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
2010 — Individual to Icon: Portraits of the Famous and Almost Famous from Folk Art to Facebook, Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND
2009 — Hokah!, Ancient Traders Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2009 — Group Exhibitor, Powderhorn Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN
2009 — Visual Sovereignty: International Indigenous Photography, C. N. Gorman Museum, Davis, CA
2008 — Mnisota Dakota Home, Form+Content Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2008 — Community Exhibitor, Powderhorn Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN
2008 — Spirit of Place, New York Mills Cultural Center, New York Mills, MN
2008 — Who is a Citizen? What is Citizenship? Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
2007 — Community Photography Showcase, Powderhorn Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN
2006 — Land Speaks, Two Rivers Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2003 — Waasa Inaabidaa (We Look in All Directions), The Minneapolis Foundation, Minneapolis, MN
2001 — Juxtaposition, Ancient Traders Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2000 — Minnesota 2000, Minnesota Historical Society, History Center Museum
1997 — Through Native Eyes, pARTs gallery, Minneapolis, MN
1994 — McKnight Photography Fellows, Katherine E. Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota

Collections
2003 — Shakopee Mdwewakanton Dakota Community Archives
2002 — Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
1998 — Minnesota Historical Society

Awards
2011 — Anishinabe Artist Initiative Grant, Region 2 Arts Council, Bemidji, MN
1998 — “Best Photo Spread,” Native American Journalists Association (NAJA).
1996 — First Place “Photo Shootout,” NAJA.
1993 — McKnight Photography Fellowship

Publications
2011 — Beloved Child, Minnesota Historical Society Press
2000 — Minnesota in Our Time: A Photographic Portrait, Minnesota Historical Society Press
1997 — Four Seasons of Corn: A Winnebago Tradition, Lerner Publications

Work Experience
Present – 2003 — Freelance Photographer, Minneapolis, MN
2002 – 2001 — Photographer, Allies Media Art, Minneapolis, MN
2001 — Project Assistant, Native American Journalists Assoc., Minneapolis, MN
2000-1993 — Editor/Publisher, “The Circle” Newspaper, Minneapolis, MN

Teaching Experience
2011 — Nature of Technology Camp, White Earth Reservation, MN
2006 — Artist in Residence, American Indian Magnet School, St. Paul, MN
2003 — Artist in Residence, Four Directions High School, Minneapolis, MN
2001 — Photography Instructor, American Indian Journalism Institute, University of South Dakota, Vermilion, SD

Contact: josephjallen@yahoo.com