Featuring Vern Northrup
Fond Du Lac Band of Ojibwe

Vern Northrup (Fond Du Lac Band of Ojibwe), artist and retired wildlands firefighter, will present his photographs and teachings that offer Anishinaabe perspectives on the place of humans in the world, the seasons, and more. An audience Q&A will follow.

This event is one of a series of public talks entitled "Transdisciplinary Engagements with Indigenous Thinkers." Learn more about the IAS Research and Creative Collaborative presenting this work here.

Funding is provided by the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) and the Institute on the Environment (IonE).

ABOUT VERN NORTHROP

courtesy of Indigenous First, an art gallery and gift shop located in the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) building

Interpreter, educator, learner are three words that describes the lens Northrup looks through when photographing the world. Akinomaage is the Ojibwa word for what Northrup seeks to do with his photography. As an interpreter, educator and learner, Northrup wants to gain knowledge from the Earth.

Using only the camera on his smart phone, Northup captures the setting of where he grew up, creating a nostalgia for those familiar with the area, and a curiosity for those who aren’t. He uses photography as a tool to educate both himself and the viewer about the rhythm of nature, the preservation of tradition, and the relationship between resilience and sustainability. Northrup recognizes the ability of the land to act as a narrator and uses photography to reveal the story in landscapes.