Justin D Allen — Minneapolis, MN
Justin is an artist that commonly uses photography, book design, and sculpture to playfully interact with cultural phenomena and shared visual language. His work is rooted in our shared lived experiences outside of academic art. Much of his work directs his viewers attention towards the ways creativity and aesthetics are used as a practical tool by those who don’t necessarily consider themselves artists and have no formal art background. He grew up in Northeast Iowa, where he starting photographing the landscape and human interaction with it through agriculture. He currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is an MFA Candidate at the University of Minnesota.
Education & Professional background
2022 - Present MFA Candidate and TA, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
2016 - 2022 Photo Lab Assistant, Century College, White Bear Lake, MN.
2010 - 2016 University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
BFA: Photography Emphasis, Department of Art.
Minors in Art History and Graphic Technologies.
2013-2016 Photo Lab Monitor, Photography Lab, UNI. 2013 - 2016.
2013 Intern, Ackerman-Gruber Images. Minneapolis, MN
Exhibitions, Residencies, & Opportunities
2024
Multiple Titles, Works by Second Year MFA Students.
Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Art Faculty Plus 1, UNI Faculty and Selected Alumni
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
2023
Forgetting, Group Exhibition
Fitch Studios, Des Moines, IA
Benton Projects Residency
Benton, Wisconsin, July 2023
Mudhouse Artist Residency and Exhibition
Agios Ioannis, Crete, Greece, June 2023
2022
House of Clocks Book Accession, Rosemary Furtak Artist Book Collection
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
Fresh Works Group Exhibition
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, August & September 2022
House of Clocks Solo Exhibition
Fredericksburg, Iowa, July 2022
Future Perfect Collaborative Exhibition with Forrest Wasko
MirrorLab, Minneapolis, MN, June 2022
‘What Shall I Love If Not The Enigma?’ Masterclass with Jason Fulford
ISSP International Masterclass, October 2019 - June 2022
2021
Rewriting a Personal Narrative with Diana Markosian Fotofilmic Masterclass, January & February 2021.
Based on a True Story with Gus Powell Fotofilmic Masterclass, February 2021.
2020
Photography, Concept, Narrative, & The Book Form with Christian Patterson
Fotofilmic 6-Week Masterclass, September & October 2020.
2019
The Smiling Museum, Exhibiting Artist & Co-Curator
Century College Niche Gallery, October 2019 - December 2019.
2018
Open Door 14, Group Show
Rosalux Gallery, December 2018.
Super Short Spooky Show, Group Show
The Show Gallery Lowertown, October 2018.
Wolf Ridge, Artist Residency
Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, March 2018.
Memorial, Solo Exhibition
120 Gallery, Inver Hills Community College. December 2017 - January 2018.
2017
The Vault, Solo Exhibition
Dan Gable National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. 2017.
The Vault, Solo Exhibition
Waterloo Center for the Arts, Waterloo, Iowa. 2017.
2016
Memorial, BFA Solo Exhibition
UNI Gallery, University of Northern Iowa. 2016.
Annual Department of Art Juried Student Exhibition,
UNI Gallery, University of Northern Iowa. 2016.
XXX Books Books Books XXX, Group Exhibition.
Ames C.art, Public Space One and Design on Main Gallery, Ames, Iowa. 2016.
2015
Cedar Valley Biennial, Group Exhibition.
Waterloo Center for the Arts, Waterloo, IA. 2015.
Untitled, Solo Exhibition, Rod Library, FPAC, University of Northern Iowa. 2015.
Department of Art Scholarship, University of Northern Iowa, One-semester scholarship. 2015.
Annual Department of Art Juried Student Exhibition - UNI Gallery, University of Northern Iowa. Guillaume Award, Merit Award and Purchase Award. 2015.
Facts About Nudism - Group Exhibition, College of Humanities Arts and Sciences Deans Triangle Gallery, UNI. 2015.
2014
The Vault - Solo Exhibion, Dan Gable National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Waterloo, IA. 2014.
2013
Group Exhibition - 220 East Gallery, Waterloo, IA. 2013.
Faces of Our Farmers - Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, University of Northern Iowa, UNI Dining Centers, Hearst Center for the Arts. Commissioned by Buy Fresh, Buy Local initiative. 2013.
2012
Area Show: 42 - Group Exhibition, MacNider Art Museum, Mason City, IA 2012.
Annual Department of Art Juried Student Exhibition - UNI Gallery, University of Northern Iowa. Purchase Award and Merit Award. 2012.