Hoosier Protest Art Exhibited In Chicago

An exhibit of protest art from demonstrations across northern Indiana was on display at Chicago art gallery, Uri-Eichen over the weekend. 

The exhibit titled, “Art of Resistance and Resilience in Northwest Indiana” was organized by the advocacy group Northwest Indiana Resist. Uri-Eichen, located minutes from downtown Chicago, had little walking room. It was full of visitors and Hoosier protest art.

Pieces included signs against the once proposed Elkhart Immigration detention center, to more hands-on pieces like noisemaker cans painted to look like BP oil tankers.

Ruth Needleman is a retired professor from Indiana University Northwest and a co-coordinator with Northwest Indiana Resist. She’s also a board member at Uri-Eichen. She said when she began to plan the event, she knew it had to be in Chicago, because of the shared issues the city and Northern Indiana face.

"The spirit that is coming out of Northwest Indiana is our hope,” Needleman said, “The ability to fight and to stand together and challenge the further degradation of Indiana.”

Needleman said the purpose of the exhibit was to bring attention to Hoosier efforts  to combat what she calls injustices across the state, while promoting cooperation with similar groups in other states.