Art Connects Us, Volume 34

A wide shot of a ceramics studio, featuring students working with pottery wheels and other tools.

At the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), our community has responded to the current moment as true citizen artists.

Our community's work demonstrates a belief in our interconnectedness as people and our shared responsibility to make positive change. Below you’ll find just a few of the stories that build our optimism, reignite our passion, and fill us with hope for the future.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5
Volume 6
Volume 7
Volume 8
Volume 9
Volume 10
Volume 11
Volume 12
Volume 13
Volume 14
Volume 15
Volume 16
Volume 17
Volume 18
Volume 19
Volume 20
Volume 21
Volume 22
Volume 23
Volume 24
Volume 25
Volume 26
Volume 27
Volume 28
Volume 29
Volume 30
Volume 31
Volume 32
Volume 33

An alum in a tuxedo holds an award on the red carpet — Image courtesy of Festival de Cannes

Alum Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Latest Film Speaks to Repressed Histories
Though Memoria is his first production outside of his homeland of Thailand, alum Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s (MFA 1998, HON 2011) new film speaks to the same issues of repressed memory and history that he’s explored in his earlier works. Shot in Colombia and starring Tilda Swinton, the film received the Prix du Jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. read more

A video still of a black and white photo of a man and colorful blocks, with Matthew Mazzotta written in text beneath it — Image courtesy of TED Radio Hour

On TED Radio Hour, Alum Matthew Mazzotta Talks About the Importance of Public Spaces
Alum Matthew Mazzotta (BFA 2001) works at the intersection of art, activism, and urbanism. On a recent episode of TED Radio Hour, Mazzotta talked about the importance of public spaces in which communities can gather and discuss key issues, and how he works with towns and cities to reimagine spaces and give them a new purpose. read more

A drawing of two figures embracing over a photograph of a tropical sunset — Nicole Salcedo, Celestial Bodies I, 2020, digital drawing. Image courtesy of Showfields

Alum Nicole Salcedo Joins Fundraiser for Victims of Florida Condo Collapse
Artists are coming together to raise money for victims and families impacted by the devastating collapse of the Champlain Towers condominium in Surfside, Florida. The art fundraiser is organized by Showfields in partnership with the Knight Foundation and features a variety of works by Miami-based artists, including alum Nicole Salcedo (BFA 2010). read more

An artist stands in front of a display of small sculptures — Em Kettner in her exhibition Slow Poke, 2021, at François Ghebaly, Los Angeles. Image courtesy of the artist

In Art in America, Alum Em Kettner Writes About Sculpting Disability
In her latest exhibition, alum Em Kettner (MFA 2014) uses sculpture to explore her experiences with muscular dystrophy. Kettner writes about these works and the messages she wants to share in Art in America. “Dependency, in our culture, is often regarded as a source of shame,” she wrote. “But I think of it as a special kind of bonding with someone else in order to become greater together.” read more

April 2024: Faculty and Staff Accomplishments