St. Paul’s beloved artist Seitu K. Jones, 75, is finally receiving a solo museum exhibition at the Minnesota Museum of American Art. Titled “The Smell of Earth: Seitu K. Jones Working in the Elements,” the show runs from Oct. 22 through July 25 and showcases 40 years of drawings, large‑scale paintings, ceramics, journal entries, letters and newspaper clippings that trace his life as a Black artist in Minnesota.
Local roots and community impact
Jones has spent his career creating murals, public installations, community meals and a five‑acre urban farm in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. While his public art is familiar to Twin Cities residents, much of his studio work remained stored in the basement of his home until now.
Curators Alexandra Nicome and Ego Ahaiwe Sowinski have been working with Jones since 2020 to organize and preserve the archive. “It feels like the whole exhibition came out of the archives,” Nicome said, noting the discovery of beautiful drawings that had been rolled up or filed away.
Self‑portraiture and the theme of ubuntu
The exhibition opens with a series of self‑portraits that explore identity, survival and community. A 2016 charcoal drawing shows Jones lying on pavement beside a pair of leather boots; a 2020 work titled “Strange Fruit” depicts his feet suspended from a tree; and “Roots” places those same feet firmly in a harvest of collard greens, a plant Jones has used for decades as a symbol of Black survival.
University of Minnesota curator Davu Seru sees the African concept of ubuntu—“I am because we are”—running through the work. “Humanity is rooted in your connection to others,” Seru said, adding that Jones’ art reflects an individual who knows he would not exist without his community.
Family, faith and farming
Jones’ grandmother, whose father escaped slavery in Kentucky, planted a plum tree in St. Paul that inspired his lifelong bond to the earth. While studying landscape design at the University of Minnesota, Jones admired George Washington Carver, an agricultural scientist and painter. He later co‑founded Frogtown Farm with his wife, poet Soyini Guyton, in 2013.
In 2025 the urban farm produced more than 10,000 pounds of food for local families and food shelves. Jones describes the farm as “a work of art,” emphasizing collaboration with the land rather than conquest.
Community meals and lasting legacy
In 2014 Jones organized a “Create: The Community Meal,” inviting over 2,000 people to a half‑mile‑long dinner on Victoria Street. The event highlighted food equity and the power of shared meals to build neighborhood ties.
Jones hopes the exhibition will inspire other artists to take risks, preserve their archives, and feel free to follow their creative visions. “Take risks, be persistent and never, never, ever be ashamed of your worldview,” he advises.
The opening reception is scheduled for Oct. 29, 6–8 p.m. Admission is free.
Original reporting: Sahan Journal — read the source article.
