Ayub HajiOmar is one of two local artists chosen to incorporate art into the Discovery Walk in downtown Rochester. It’s the latest commission for the self-supporting artist.
by Atra Mohamed
In a world that is often intolerant of Islam, Ayub HajiOmar tries to build bridges.
The Rochester resident describes himself as an “Islamic contemporary fine artist.” And he makes the Qu’ran a living document, incorporating scripture into paintings with detailed brushwork that captures the spirit of each verse.
Ayub, 27, recently took on one of his largest commissions: choosing poems in English, Arabic and Somali to decorate giant benches on a four-block Discovery Walk in downtown Rochester near the Mayo Clinic.
He worked with Rochester artist Sophia Chai to make 2nd Avenue S.W. an inviting space for pedestrians as part of the Destination Medical Center (DMC) initiative. Chai created the lighting and Ayub chose the poetry for the walk.
The public commission was another stepping stone for Ayub, who received an emerging artist grant in 2019 and held an exhibition show at the Rochester Art Center the following year.
The DMC has a process in place that engages the community in co-designing efforts, where community members, artists, and architectural designers are invited to sit together and decide how public spaces should be designed.
Ayub said although introducing new ideas and cultures presented its own challenges, he was able to communicate his concepts through discussions with community members, designers and other artists. However, with translations of the Qur’an and the Hadith into English the ideas were well received, he said.
“My art career went from working and creating art in a studio to making public art, which was both new and challenging, as well as a learning opportunity,” he said.
Words to inspire
On a cold January morning, Ayub strolled down on the street where the verses he chose are etched into the base of massive wood and stone benches.
The benches showcase Ayub’s fluency in Somali, Arabic and English.
Ayub, a husband and father to two, said he learned Arabic by studying the Qu’ran and the Hadith, a collection of anecdotes or “reports” on the words and actions of the prophet Muhammad and his circle.
His Arabic fluency grew after he married a Somali woman who grew up in Kuwait, he said.
The quotes he chose for the benches range from spiritual to empowering. One reads, “Young African child set your mind free. Believe in yourself and be the best you can be!”
“The message was to all young children that come from minority backgrounds, especially Black and brown kids, sharing a message of hope, letting them know they have a place in the world,” Ayub said in a follow-up email.
Another bench reads, “It will take some time but it’s worth your health,” a direct connection to the nearby Mayo Clinic.
Another, in Somali, reads: “Nolosha ku raaxeyso. Faraxsanow, dadka neh ka farxi,” which translates to, “Enjoy life, be happy, and make others happy.”
DMC Executive Director Patrick Seeb said he saw Ayub’s artwork at Rochester Arts Center, and he was immediately impressed by his creativity.
During the design process, Ayub envisioned creating a statue; however, due to the nature of the project, a statue wasn’t suitable, so he pivoted to poetry. Seeb said that Ayub’s ability to think quickly and creatively, along with his multilingual skills, allowed him to create poetry that resonates with everyone in the community.
Artist from a young age
Ayub recalls growing up at a dinner table where a blend of Somali, Arabic, Kiswahili and English were spoken.
“My entire family is poetic. My mom, grandmother, and everyone in the house would … express themselves in a poetic tone when they talk,” he said. For instance, his parents would often speak in formal language with a rhythmic style, making poetry come naturally to him.
Ayub, one of seven children in his family, was born in Alexandria, Virginia, but his parents came to the United States as immigrants from Somalia, making Somali the household language. When he was young, the family moved to Kenya for an extended period, where he learned Kiswahili and studied Arabic to read the Qur’an, making him fluent in four languages.
“My parents are huge advocates for getting an education, and at a very early age, we were taught various languages and cultures,” Ayub said.
He said, “One of the things that my father instilled in me is the importance of being very versatile, so being able to go anywhere in the world and then be able to accumulate knowledge and survive.”
Ayub said he always had a creative mind. In middle school, he began exploring art and by the time he reached high school, he had dedicated himself to becoming an artist.
A breakout show
Growing up during a time when misconceptions about Islam were prevalent, Ayub said he turned to the Qur’an for answers.
His 2020 show at the Rochester Art Center was titled “Mercy to Mankind: A Collection of Masterpieces.” In an interview with Sheila Dickinson, the center’s former artistic director, Ayub explained the term “masterpieces” referred to his use of Qu’ranic verses in his paintings.
“Growing up, I noticed there was a misconception of Islam and Muslims. We’re kind of looked at as bad people. We also see certain people being referred to as Muslims in a bad way. And so it was almost like a slander to be called Muslim,” Ayub said in the interview.
He said he added verses to the Qu’ran to his paintings and translated them into English “so that more people understand it, more people are informed about what the Qu’ran is actually saying.”
And he used the term “masterpieces” to refer to the “eloquence of the Qu’ran itself.”
One of the show’s paintings features a 7-foot-tall AR-15 with a verse from the Qu’ran that says, “If anyone kills a person, it is as if he killed all mankind while if any saves a life, it is as if he saves the lives of all mankind.”
Another painting depicts two hands reaching for each other, representing a parent extending a hand to their child. The piece is explained in Arabic, which translates to “Oh my Lord and the wing of mercy, have mercy upon my parents, as they had mercy upon me when they were bringing me up.”
Looking for a bigger canvas
Ayub has been a full-time artist for the last five years. He has received a Minnesota State Art Board Creative Individuals grant, and he collaborates with other artists and art projects where he would receive a large grant periodically, which sustains his livelihood and artistic practices.
“I’m fortunate to practice my art in Minnesota, a state that is very supportive of the art community,” Ayub said.
When he was attending Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC), he wanted a bigger wall for his paintings, and his professor at the time referred him to the Rochester Art Center, where he not only found a bigger wall that would accommodate his paintings but also an artistic community that supported his creativity.
Dickinson, currently an art curator at the Mayo, said Ayub was referred to her by his art teacher at RCTC and she immediately recognized his talent.
“His conceptual approach to art, which resonates with global issues, and his ability to articulate such complex ideas through art and creativity, was undeniable,” Dickinson said.
At the Rochester Art Center, Dickinson ran a program through the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council where she mentored artists on how to obtain grants and what kind of work they needed to produce in order to secure funding.
“Here in Rochester, we have a global community, and Ayub’s creativity brings big ideas and themes that not only represent Rochester but also in our global community,” she said.
RCTC art professor Simon Huelsbeck said he immediately noticed Ayub’s strong drive and unique ideas when Ayub enrolled in his class.
Ayub aims to create more paintings and, someday, have his work showcased in museums around the world. He is currently working on a painting that is 26½ feet long and 11½ feet tall, which he said will be a surprise for the public.
“He has drive, confidence, self-awareness, and a clear perspective on what he wants to communicate, along with an audience for his voice,” Huelsbeck said.