
Aribert Munzner in his studio inside the California Building. (Lisa Roy)
Aribert Munzner was more than an artist — he was a guiding presence in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. For decades, his curiosity, intellect and generosity shaped both individual artists and the larger creative community.
After losing his Ivy Building studio to fire damage in 2020, Aribert Munzner, also known as Ari to his friends, relocated to the California Building, a studio space and gallery at 2205 California St. NE. He was 90 years old.
For the next five years, he continued to pursue his painting career and welcome other artists he met in the building — many of whom he taught or had worked with at the Minnesota College of Arts and Design (MCAD) — into his space.
One of the artists, Remo Campopiano, recalls wandering into Munzner’s studio from across the hall. “He greeted me as if he’d known me forever — already knowing my name, showering me with praise and immediately inviting me to dinner. That night with Jim Gregory, Sally Lund, his caregiver, Richard Bonk and Rich Kessler turned into a standing Friday ritual. Week after week we gathered in his studio, and those evenings became a kind of salon — equal parts laughter, philosophy and art. I lived for those Fridays.”
On August 1, 2025, Munzner passed away in hospice. In his lifetime, Ari had escaped Nazi Germany, spent time in Baghdad, arrived in New York, frequented jazz clubs in Greenwich Village, attended Cranbrook, married Joan and raised two daughters.
While teaching at MCAD, he crossed paths with influential thinkers such as Alan Watts, a British and American writer; Buckminster Fuller, an American architect and inventor; and Roman Vishniak, a Russian-American photographer best known for his work surrounding Jewish people in Europe before the Holocaust.
Munzner’s focus on the microcosm and macrocosm of the universe, his exploration of the relationship between science and metaphysics, and his interest in the Kabbalah, the Sufis and Qigong resulted in his “Genesis” paintings. His unique personality and quirky nature are treasured in the memories of the many artists he worked with.
Losing Munzner means losing one of the most illustrious members of the Arts District — our most respected artist and teacher. At 95, he was still a force of insight and generosity, always ready to nurture new ideas and new artists. He embodied the spirit of conversation, curiosity and community. His presence shaped not only many artists’ works but the very culture of the Arts District. We will miss him beyond measure.