Be-Longing: The Work of Indira Freitas Johnson

The Art Center Highland Park will feature the art of sculptor, community artist, and nonviolence educator, Indira Freitas Johnson in a new exhibit, BE-Longing*, a solo exhibition that reflects her efforts to maintain a sense of belonging for both her native India and her adopted home in America.  

Named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine in 2013 for her public art project, Ten Thousand Ripples, Indira has a true artistic agenda that makes her work even more important in the current world political and social climate of upheaval. Adds Johnson: “For me, art and life are interwoven so that creating objects in the studio goes hand in hand with site-specific installation and interactive/community-engaged projects. Making connections between different relationships, individual and community, order and chaos, spirit and matter is a fundamental aspect of my work.”  

“We are thrilled to have Indira back at The Art Center,” says Curator Caren Helene Rudman. “Over the years, we’ve exhibited pieces of her work, including a series of fabric panels with text embroidered on them. I first learned of her with her Ten Thousand Ripples project where one hundred fiberglass Buddha sculptures were installed in sites chosen by Chicago area community organizations”.  

Johnson will also function as the guest juror for The Art Center’s complementary exhibit, Freedom. How does an artist express through a person, a place, a moment, an event, or in some way represent an expression of freedom? Call for entry information is at:https://theartcenterhp.org/call-for-artists/. 

The exhibits Be-Longing and Freedom will run concurrently from March 3 through April 8, 2023, with an artists’ reception on Friday, March 3, from 5:30 – 8:00 PM, free and open to the public.  

TAC will host an Exchange/ Artist Talk with Indira Johnson on March 26th from 2-4pm.  

The Art Center Highland Park is a not-for-profit organization and North Shore’s home for artistic discovery and creative exploration. Through innovative programs, exhibitions, and classes designed for all levels and ages, The Art Center provides a welcoming space for our diverse communities to experience and participate in the arts. For more information about classes, events, and exhibits visit theartcenterhp.org.