Columbus State University has received a $100,000 project grant from the Ruth Arts Foundation to fund residency programs at Pasaquan, its visionary art environment in Buena Vista, Georgia, created by Southern artist Eddie Owens Martin. The grant will support innovative artist residencies that honor Martin’s legacy while engaging students and contemporary artists with his artwork.

Pasaquan will welcome Azikiwe Mohammed as its latest artist-in-residence funded through this grant. Based in New York, Mohammed has been featured in group exhibitions at MoMA PS1, the Museum of the African Diaspora and the California African American Museum. He has also presented solo exhibitions at the SCAD Museum of Art, Knockdown Center and Anna Zorina Gallery, among others. His work was also highlighted in the PBS series Art21.

During his Pasaquan residency, Mohammed will engage with Eddie Owens Martin’s legacy through practices that include painting, video, sound and commerce. He will also collaborate with Columbus State art students—creating an exciting opportunity for them to connect with his multidisciplinary vision.

“Columbus State students benefit greatly from working alongside acclaimed professional artists like Azikiwe, through which they expand their perspectives by directly engaging with innovative contemporary practices,” said Mike McFalls, director of Pasaquan and a professor in the university’s Department of Art. “We’re thankful to Ruth Arts and other generous arts patrons who enhance our arts education programs and inspire our students.”

Funding from the Ruth Arts Foundation addresses the evolving needs and lived experiences of artists, communities and organizations whose work is rooted in the visual and performing arts. It honors its benefactor Ruth DeYoung Kohler II (1941–2020) with inventive approaches to philanthropy that are rooted in creativity, experimentation and access.

Admission to Pasaquan is open to visitors most Fridays through Sundays for a suggested donation. For more information about its programs and touring the site, visit Pasaquan’s website.