Tufawon’s “Gradient” EP at the Duluth Art Institute

Tufawon (2 for 1) is a Dakota/Boricua rapper, singer songwriter, producer and teaching artist from Minneapolis. For his Recomposing America project, ACF has commissioned a new EP titled Gradient to accompany two exhibits at the Duluth Art Institute running Jan. 12 – Apr. 3, 2026.

In “Fur Trade Nation,” Carl Gawboy’s watercolors highlight the everyday experiences, stories, and histories of the trade nation. And in “Ojibwe Adornment: Beads, Ribbon, Fur, Cloth,” Wendy Savage extends this dialogue through her practice in textiles and fashion, which merges Anishinaabe tradition with contemporary forms of making.

The exhibits reflect on the history of international trade and exchange in the Northern region of Minnesota. For centuries, the Anishinaabe have been central to these histories, acting as cultural connectors and facilitators of exchange between nations and communities. Together, their works invite us to consider how the past continues to shape the present — through objects, images, and narratives.

“Gradient” is out now on all major platforms. Visitors to the Duluth Art Institute can connect to an app that will allow them to listen to the EP while going through the exhibit.

Recomposing America is a multi-year initiative led by American Composers Forum that highlights artistic perspectives unique to the United States and the broader Americas through direct commissions, institutional collaborations, and public dialogue. Timed with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Recomposing America aims to refresh and reimagine the “who,” “what,” and “why” of the United States, and the stories therein.