Farewell Potluck & Work-in-Progress Puppet Show with Akiko Ostlund 

About

Lanesboro Arts invites community members to join for the Farewell Potluck and Work-in-Progress Puppet Show with artist Akiko Ostlund on Thursday, May 6th from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Second Floor Studio in the St. Mane Theatre. Over a shared meal, Akiko will share her work-in-progress puppet piece with
the Lanesboro community. The show is a 10 minute puppet show that
covers various racial topics such as characteristics of white supremacy,
Asian hate, the definition of structural racism, and the harm of
passive aggressive communication. After the showing of the piece, Akiko
will host an hour-long storytelling workshop where self-selected
audience members can share their own experiences of challenging,
surprising, or inspiring moments of racial interactions, all while
crafting puppets together!

Akiko will bring an experienced
facilitator, Jacob Miller, who has been a close collaborator in her
anti-racism work with theatre company, Mixed Precipitation. The goal is
to create a safe and casual space by setting up clear agreements with
the participants before starting the workshop. By using hands-on
crafting, Akiko hopes to open up a space for people to relax and share
their authentic experiences. This workshop will then inform the next
iteration of her piece for future productions, placing a permanent stamp
on Akiko’s work from the people and experiences of Lanesboro.

During her residency from April 11th through May 9th, Ostlund will
workshop her work-in-progress toy theatre piece, Racist Hotline,
centering on an imaginary live radio/podcast show. Through this comedic
puppet piece Ostlund hopes to examine how racism is normalized in daily
life, and create a shared language with the audience in order to
cultivate the culture that challenges the oppressive nature of the
system we live in.

About Akiko Ostlund

Akiko Ostlund is a Twin Cities-based interdisciplinary storyteller,
teaching artist, curator, and activist. The mediums she most commonly
works with include poetry, music, dance, collage, and puppetry. Her work
often includes themes of anti-oppression and social change. For six
years, Akiko has worked as an activist creating both visual and
performing art pieces that center around social issues. A native of
Osaka, Japan, Akiko tells stories that reflect the narrative of
immigrant women of color that are often underrepresented in white
eurocentric society. Using puppetry, she aims to create moments for the
audience in which they can slow down and be present, allowing them to
take in the material more fully. As a non-native English speaker with a
unique immigration story, Akiko brings another cultural perspective to
community exchange. Telling these stories for social change with new
people is a crucial part of Akiko’s artistic practice.

In addition to creating and performing, Akiko has worked closely with
the Minneapolis community through teaching at schools and museums,
working for large-scale community art projects, curating shows, and
working as an anti-oppression and wellness coordinator for theatre
company, Mixed Precipitation. These experiences have given Akiko vast
experience at facilitating spaces where people with different
backgrounds and abilities work collectively to achieve one goal.