Chicago Art Students Form Group To Create Social Justice Artwork

From the South Side Weekly:

By William Estrada

The Collaborative Printshop Course was made up of twenty students in the School of Art and Art History at the University of Illinois-Chicago who focused on the creation of graphic images within a social and political context in order to amplify the stories and concerns of historically marginalized groups, with specific attention given to Chicago neighborhoods.

Using accessible printmaking techniques, such as linoleum cuts, students responded to the needs expressed by community organizations doing grassroots organizing to develop and distribute images that support their movements. We analyzed the work of groups such as justseeds artists’ cooperative, For the People Artists Collective, Chicago Act Collective, and other contemporary artists working with people to challenge oppressive systems as the inspiration for the work we wanted to create.

View the prints by Andrea Reyes, Raven Avery-Moore, Sarahi Rodriguez and Jasmin Amir.

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William Estrada grew up in California, Mexico, and Chicago. He is currently a visual art teacher at Telpochcalli Elementary School in Little Village and faculty at UIC. This is his first contribution to the Weekly.

The South Side Weekly is a nonprofit newspaper dedicated to supporting cultural and civic engagement on the South Side, and to developing emerging journalists, writers, and artists. Read more at southsideweekly.com.