Exhibition:A Prison, a Prisoner, and a Prison Guard
2025-04-25 08:00 - 23:00 (America/Detroit) | Hatcher Graduate Library - Lobby
Join us for a multimedia exploration of the impact of prisons on countries and communities across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through the lens of “prison art.” The exhibit delves into the dynamic interplay between incarceration and creative expression to make sense of carceral systems.

By presenting prison art from various countries in the MENA region, including Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, this exhibit unfolds as a “journey” into the prison system and demonstrates the ways in which art can be a tool of expression and reconciliation for survivors, detainees’ families, and society at large. It promotes drawing parallels between the prison experience in the region and worldwide, highlights the intentionality of carceral systems, and expands the conversation to include prison-impacted communities. Viewers are invited to navigate the cross-generational, human experiences of imprisonment often obscured behind prison walls and within individuals.

Curated by Sumaya Tabbah and Susan Aboeid of The Ḥafathah Collective, this traveling exhibit was organized by U-M Students Organize for Syria (SOS) in partnership with U-M Library and with support from the U-M Arts Initiative.

Plan to attend the related discussion, "Art, Justice, and Carcerality: The Role of Creative Expression in the Pursuit of Justice," on February 6.

Exhibition:Being Mixed Race in a Mono-racially Organized World
2025-04-25 08:00 - 23:00 | Hatcher Graduate Library - Clark Library, 2nd Floor
The exhibit "Being Mixed Race in a Mono-racially Organized World: Interracial Identity in the U.S. and Around the World — What Research and Mixed Race People Tell Us" is an exploration into the library's collections about the diversity of mixed race heritage. Through research, narratives, demographic data, and a variety of visual and published materials, explore multifaceted aspects of mixed race heritage with insights from many perspectives.

The 2020 U.S. Census illuminated a 276 percent increase in individuals who identify as "two or more races" since 2010. In recognition of the growing numbers of mixed race-identifying people at the University of Michigan, throughout the country, and across the globe, we're excited to unveil this new exhibit — a unique exploration of changing demographics and intersectional identities.

Exhibition:CREES Exhibition. Threading the Needle: Vestiges of Colonialism and Femininity, an installation by Gluklya
2025-04-25 08:00 - 17:00 | Weiser Hall - Gallery, Room 547
Gluklya’s work is a powerful example of socially engaged art at the intersections of gender, class, and cultural identity. By focusing on experiences of female textile workers in Kyrgyzstan, the artist explores the often-overlooked stories of women affected by Soviet and post-Soviet colonialism. "Threading the Needle: Vestiges of Colonialism and Femininity" retells their stories using a diverse range of media — film, sculpture, watercolors, and felt tapestries. Unfolding the implications of economic and societal pressures on women, Gluklya explores issues of poverty, isolation, and exploitation among the garment workers.

Personal stories are woven into a broader social context — such as the legacy of the "Likbez" (liquidation of illiteracy) campaign among women in Central Asia during Soviet rule and entrenched patriarchal traditions, like "Ala Kachuu" (bride-kidnapping). This dynamic — where colonization and modernization intertwine the individual lives they touch — raises questions about cultural identity and the ethical borders of decolonized research.

This exhibition was curated by CREES alumna Dianne Beal (BA REES '79). See more of her work here: https://www.diannebeal.com/curatorial.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at crees@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.

Other:Race at UChicago
2025-04-25 08:00 - 23:59 | Chicago, IL
Cycling Race at The University of Chicago
