If you had walked around the first floor of the Student Union on the Main Campus, one might have seen some interesting artwork, made by children. This art installation, which combines the artwork of children of Polish and Ukrainians descent, was installed in early November. The pictures were moving depictions of war from the 1940s, and from the current war between Russia and Ukraine. Members of the public were free to walk around and see the artwork.

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, there was a press conference near the art installation, which consisted of several consulate generals, as well as President Gloria Gibson. “Art can communicate joy. It can also communicate sorrow, it can communicate questions, it can communicate resolutions. And that’s what we will see through the art of these children.” Gibson said early on in the mini press conference. ”That we through history can see what happened many years ago and tie that to what is happening today.”

“We want to present a different perspective,” Jaroslav Kantůrek, the consulate general for the Czech Republic in Chicago stated in the mini press conference. He went on to state that the drawings from the art installation were being preserved in the Central Archives of Modern Records, in Warsaw, Poland.  

There was a reception with several members after the conference, which students and members of the public were welcomed to attend afterwards.

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While the art installation was taken down on November 19th, those who are interested in seeing more images can check out the website, and see more information as to other installations. The site is also receiving images.