Art of Protest/Art of Dreams: Contemporary Printmaking in Oaxaca and Chicago

Mexico has a long-standing tradition of using printmaking as a force for social and political engagement. This exhibition explores the impact of this tradition on Latino artists today, bringing together over 30 printmakers from Oaxaca, Mexico to Chicago, USA. These artists share a common commitment to using art to draw people together and imagine a better future. Although they come from geographically and culturally diverse places, they are united in a belief in collaboration as a foundation for community, activism, and outreach. The work in the exhibition ranges from political protest to thought-provoking and poetic explorations of gender, domesticity, tradition, and contemporary life. Among the artists and presses featured are Edith Chávez and Ivan Bautista of Burro Press, Oaxaca, and the members of Instituto Gráphico de Chicago.

This exhibition is a part of our Fall Event Series: Art and Resistance in Mexico, Guatemala, and Chicago. In conjunction with the exhibition, there will be several free hands-on printmaking workshops hosted by Instituto Gráfico de Chicago, as well as a panel discussion exploring the social, political, and artistic contexts of Oaxaca’s vibrant print scene. Information about these related events can be found here.

This exhibit will be displayed in the Walford Galleries located on the first floor of Adams Hall. The galleries are free and open to the public from 9am – 4pm Monday through Friday. Adams Hall is located in the center of campus, north of Blanchard Hall, at 501 College Avenue in Wheaton. For more information, contact the Art Department at 630.752.5050.