Gallery Nights and New Beginnings
October 3, 2009
Hello everyone!
Although it’s been a few months since the Project Focus gallery nights, none of us have forgotten their great success! Our group worked together to transform a boring study lounge into a beautiful, cohesive, and enlightening exhibit. We are incredibly thankful for all the UIC teachers and students, as well as our families and friends, who stopped by to show their support and interest in not only the childrens’ photographs, but also their everyday lives and the experiences we shared with them in India.
We displayed the photographs in four separate categories: Student Profile, which focused on the individual lives of the children, Community, Environment, and Health. We considered a critical analysis of each as most beneficial to our students’ understanding of the world in which they live.
In order to bring an interactive aspect to the gallery, we constructed an Indian flag out of sticky notes. We asked our guests to write one positive aspect and one negative aspect of their communities on the flag. Many people wrote about the city of Chicago, and from these responses, a few central themes emerged. Quite a few of our guests commented on the diversity of the city, not only in terms of ethnic identities, but also food, education, and architecture. On the contrary, the negative responses addressed the growing issue of gentrification, the great divide between the city’s rich and poor, inner-city violence, and the selfishness and close-mindedness of Chicago citizens.
The answers posted on the flag prove that there are many conflicting issues that need attention within our own city. While we had a relaxing summer, our minds remained active, constantly gaining inspiration and insight about the community we call our own. Now that our group is back together this fall, we are in the process of developing new ideas. We hope to utilize our tool of photovoice to empower more people and communities, and we are excited for the work that is soon to come!
