Engagement with the arts is integral to justice education at the center. It helps us pay close attention to the realities of injustice while holding out hopeful visions of justice.
This exhibit features digital images of the work on display from our 2024 Arts of Dignity exhibit. This year, our exhibit took place during Notre Dame's "Walk the Walk Week". Walk the Walk Week is a week-long series of events to help us consider how we — both individually and collectively — can take an active role in making Notre Dame more welcoming and inclusive.
Art was submitted by undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College, Holy Cross College, and Indiana University South Bend. Selections were made by the juror, Krista Hoefle, senior curator at the South Bend Museum of Art. Submitted works explored themes related to justice, such as diversity, civil rights, and economic fairness. We hope it informs and inspires our work for a more just world. Enjoy!
MÁSCARAS DE COLORES DE PROTESTA
Digital Photograph
By Luis Sosa Manubes
"Máscaras de Protestas De Colores" is a photography/sculpture project that explores the theme of identity and cultural pride in Mexico. The project features two Mexican girls wearing traditional Mexican dresses, while also wearing colorful, vibrant and delicate masks inspired by Mexican culture.
The masks symbolize the many ways that Mexicans are often asked to hide parts of their identity in order to be safe or to conform to prevailing cultural norms. This can manifest itself in many ways, from pressure to change the accent or language to the disdain of cultural traditions and customs.
With this project, we want to challenge those expectations and celebrate the beauty and richness of Mexican culture. The masks the girls wear are impossible to ignore - they demand to be seen and acknowledged. Using these masks, the girls say: "You can only address me if you accept my Mexicanness, my heritage and my identity."
Cultural pride and celebration is an important part of creating a more just and inclusive society. By embracing our differences and celebrating our unique cultural identities, we can create a more vibrant, beautiful, and colorful world.
Through these photos, I hope to inspire others to wear their cultural heritage proudly and loudly, resist the pressure to conform, and demand the acceptance and celebration of all identities.
FABRIC OF SOCIETY
Watercolor and Ink
By Dave DeBacker
“Fabric of Society” focuses on themes of Catholic Social Teaching, community, participation, and human dignity. I was inspired by CST, the Catholic Worker movement, social justice groups, and other organizations working to advocate for a more just and equitable world. This mural is a reflection of my attitudes and feelings on the subject, and I hope it serves as inspiration to the Notre Dame community in our call to be a powerful force for good.
The painting is multi-layered in terms of content and meaning. The outer ‘frame’ of the piece is composed of numerous artisans working together on a quilt. This diverse group of people symbolizes community participation as well as working towards the common good. Their arrangement is inspired by Quilting Bees, events in which craftspeople gather to collectively create quilts and other textiles. Here the workers are all collaborating at once, literally stitching the tapestry of society together.
This piece serves as a deep reflection on Catholic Social Teaching, weaving together themes of community, participation, and dignity. From the outer ring of artisans to the workers and the medicine wheel, each aspect contributes to a powerful narrative that transcends and resonates with the timeless principles of empathy, compassion, solidarity, and the inherent dignity of every individual. As viewers stand before this work, I hope to engage them in a contemplative journey that prompts reflection on the enduring values of Catholic Social Teaching, and the profound beauty of society’s rich tapestry.
CHALLENGING RHETORICS
Silkscreen print
By Marcela Rodriguez Holguin
The purpose of this piece was to bring forward an example of hateful speech this campus has experienced in the past. However, just like the censoring of discriminatory rhetoric in the print, Walk the Walk Week and other initiatives at Notre Dame are coming together to educate individuals. Through efforts like these, the ND community can gain an understanding of why those types of speech are harmful and how we can stand beside each other, learning about our diverse backgrounds. Though yellow can signify hope and happiness, it can also represent cowardice. It is cowardly for someone not to recognize the walks of life others have taken simply because they refuse to explore a different life perspective than their own. Red can represent drive, energy, and courage—a sentiment that parallels how ND is taking a stand against hate speech on campus and creating a safer environment. The exploration of diversity, showing respect, and building solidarity is something that Notre Dame encourages through events such as Walk the Walk Week. While this piece focuses on immigration, it also showcases our multifaceted lives and opinions and how communication can enable a dialogue on issues that must be addressed.
BHARATANATYAM DANCE
Digital Photograph
By MK McGuirk
This photograph documents a dancer performing a Bharatanatyam dance from Asian Allure “Carrying on the Legacy”. Apart of the NDeepam dance group, this performer brings a distinguished Indian classical dance form to the present world. The dance incorporates abhinayas (emotion), as well as mudras (hand gestures) and footwork. As the opener of the showcase, this performance wowed the audience with its rhythm and storytelling.
Juror Selections
DAVID'S HANDS
Gouache
By Julia Marine
Michelangelo sculpted his famous David statue with sling in hand, alluding to his triumphant yet unlikely defeat of Goliath. I was inspired by the themes of faith and courage which define David's story to make this piece. He is a reminder of the ability of the human spirit to prevail in the face of injustice and inequity. I hope that all who view this rendering of the David statue's hand, made dramatic through lighting and color, will be inspired to use their own hands, minds, and voices to enact social change in their communities.
ONE HUNDRED TOLTONS
Digital Photograph
By Kate McGee
This photo represents a larger art project: over one hundred paintings of sainthood candidate Augustine Tolton, which are not available for submission because they went to the classrooms and offices of every faculty and staff member from the high school where I teach! For our professional development for January, I led three rounds of a painting project, teaching about Tolton's biography and guiding each person to paint a picture of Tolton. What difference will it make for each faculty member to have spent 90 minutes meditating on, caring for, Tolton's face? What difference will it make for our students to see a painting of an African American man in priestly garb in every classroom? My hope was that to know and love one person can help move the needle on who I would consider as my family, thus the family portrait. I have learned so much compassion from literature, and I think it can happen through visual art as well.
THE THREE SISTAS
Mixed Media and Design
By Kiaya Jones
In my artwork, I've centered three black women who symbolize not only myself but also my two closest friends. Each of us is deeply committed to the cause of justice and civil rights, channeling our passion into transformative actions much like the enduring legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. I aspire to contribute to lasting transformations in our country's police departments, envisioning a future achieved through the strategic integration of technology and the resolution of longstanding tensions between communities and law enforcement. Positioned on the right, Ciarah is dedicating herself to civil and construction engineering, aspiring to reshape communities that have long endured redlining and neglect. On the left, Ebony is charting a path towards becoming a doctor, driven by a profound commitment to support Black women during pregnancy and ensure their safety within the medical sphere.
Much like the interconnected threads of our narratives, MLK's vision extended beyond racial justice to encompass broader notions of justice and equality. He spoke out against poverty, economic inequality, and militarism, emphasizing the interconnectedness of various forms of injustice and the need for a comprehensive approach to social reform. The echoes of MLK's ideals reverberate globally, with Black leaders worldwide championing transformative change and persisting in the ongoing struggle for justice. Beyond MLK's mission, I aim to showcase a diverse array of prominent black activists, myself included, who have inherited and passionately carry forward the torch in the fight against inequality and discrimination.
This piece serves as both a tribute to the legacy of those who paved the way and a testament to the enduring commitment of contemporary activists in shaping a more just and equitable world.
CHINESE FAN DANCE
Digital Photograph
By MK McGuirk
This photograph documents a dancer performing the Fan Dance from Asian Allure “Carrying on the Legacy”. This folk dance is a tradition for members of the Chinese Culture Society of Notre Dame, carrying on their legacy. This years performance was especially packed, with all members of the Notre Dame community enjoying this folk dance.
REFUGIO
Digital Photograph
By Christine Hruby
The Refugio Cafe rooftop in Berlin hosts a weekly open language cafe in June of 2023. The Refugio sign hangs proudly in the distance for refugees and migrants to gaze at while developing their English skills in Germany through conversation with individuals from all backgrounds of life. The colorful rooftop serves as a space for the diverse neighborhood to come together, such as through enabling women to feel empowered, teaching refugees English, and listening to stories from summer exchange students.
LIFE OF THE WORD
Watercolor and Ink
By Dave DeBacker
I designed this piece in direct response to The Word of Life. In Millard Sheets’ work on Hesburgh Library, dozens of Church fathers, important figures, and Doctors of the Church surround the glorified Christ. While an imposing and iconic design, there are no women present at all. In fairness to Sheets, women were not admitted to the University of Notre Dame at the time of the Word of Life’s unveiling, but would be less than a decade later. I figured it was high time to recognize and exalt women’s contributions to the life, richness, and vitality of the Church, while providing a meaningful and visually interesting work of art.
Mary is shown in front of a gradient of rose-colored tessellations, reminiscent of stained glass church windows. Beams of light radiate in all directions from her glowing halo and her blue dress features a star-like pattern. These design choices are inspired by the book of Revelation, in which a female figure is said to be clothed with the sun and stars. Additionally, the stars have a deeper level of symbolism. The miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe features multiple images of stars, including several constellations. Inspired by this image, I included symbolic constellations among the stars including Virgo, the Southern Cross, and the Northern Crown.
The design of this painting is guided by the women in my life and those that inspire me. It features important figures from all walks of life across the history of Christianity— Women who are pious, brave, intelligent, strong, and nurturing. Leaders, teachers, mothers, advocates, and great minds. I hope this work not only communicates an appreciation for women’s contributions to the Church, but also evokes a love for all that women can do, be, and achieve.
DIWALI CELEBRATION
Digital Photograph
By MK McGuirk
A dancer claps at this year's Diwali celebration. Diwali, or the “Festival of Lights”, rejoices in the power of light over darkness. At Notre Dame, a large celebration was held in late October. Undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and local residents of South Bend gathered to enjoy food, music, community, and prayer.
SHATTERING BOUNDARIES
Multimedia
By Marcela Rodriguez Holguin
This piece portrays a woman breaking through a wall, looking into a new environment, and releasing butterflies as she does. The butterflies released are monarchs, the international symbol for immigration. The woman is piercing through pieces of writing to move in the opposite direction, a movement that goes against the erasure of her story, against the scapegoating and biased narratives that are often pinned against people like her. Through this movement, she seeks to break free from the texts throughout history that have kept her story silent and release whatever boundaries were holding her back prior to breaking through the wall.
MÁSCARAS DE COLORES DE PROTESTA
Digital Photograph
By Luis Sosa Manubes
"Máscaras de Colores De Protesta" es un proyecto de fotografía/escultura que explora el tema de la identidad y el orgullo cultural en México. El proyecto presenta a dos niñas mexicanas vistiendo trajes tradicionales, al mismo tiempo que llevan máscaras coloridas, vibrantes y delicadas inspiradas en la cultura mexicana.
Las máscaras simbolizan las muchas formas en que a menudo se les pide a los mexicanos que oculten partes de su identidad para estar seguros o conformarse con las normas culturales predominantes. Esto puede manifestarse de muchas maneras, desde la presión para cambiar el acento o el idioma hasta el desprecio de las tradiciones y costumbres culturales. Con este proyecto, queremos desafiar esas expectativas y celebrar la belleza y la riqueza de la cultura mexicana. Las máscaras que las niñas llevan son imposibles de ignorar; exigen ser vistas y reconocidas. Al usar estas máscaras, las niñas dicen: "Solo puedes dirigirte a mí si aceptas mi mexicanidad, mi herencia y mi identidad".
El orgullo y la celebración cultural son partes importantes para crear una sociedad más justa e inclusiva. Al abrazar nuestras diferencias y celebrar nuestras identidades culturales únicas, podemos crear un mundo más vibrante, hermoso y colorido. A través de estas fotos, espero inspirar a otros a llevar con orgullo y fuerza su herencia cultural, resistir la presión de conformarse y exigir la aceptación y celebración de todas las identidades.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS OFRENDA
Digital Photograph
By MK McGuirk
This ofrenda (offerings) was created in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart for Dia de los muertos (Day of the dead). After a precession from the cemetery, celebrators gathered for prayer and to honor departed family members and friends. This Mexican holiday allows family members to reunite with the souls of those departed in celebration. This altar was created by the Notre Dame Community and has photographs, food, drinks, and marigold flowers. After the prayer service, community members gathered for food, dancing, and a Mariachi performance.
GENESIS TWO FIFTEEN
Watercolor and Ink
By Dave DeBacker
The third and final piece was created with themes of sustainability, environmentalism, and care for our common home. I was inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, as well as the numerous sustainability classes I have taken during my time at Notre Dame. I wanted a way to combine my passions for art and architecture with my study of sustainability. These factors were major drivers for this project in the first place. This mural highlights the importance and beauty of our natural world, and I hope it inspires others to lead more conscious, thoughtful, and sustainable lifestyles.
The design for this mural is guided by the concept of nature as a sacred space. I wanted to communicate the idea that the natural world is something to be revered, respected, and protected. Therefore, I morphed elements of church architecture with this landscape scene. The choices I made in the content of the mural are meant to highlight the bountiful beauty we have in and around the Notre Dame community.
This painting is different from the others for many reasons, but a noticeable contrast is an apparent lack of human figures. The other two have over fifty distinct people in each, but no human beings are visible in this piece. This is an intentional design choice. I decided to focus this work on the planet itself, rather than the people occupying it. However, human beings are “present,” if you know where to look. The grass in the foreground is short, and looks as though it is being well-maintained. Additionally, the right-midground features a terraced landscape. This type of earthwork has been in use for millenia, and works by producing crops while effectively reducing soil erosion. Additionally, earthworks like terracing and bioswales are becoming more popular as a water retention strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change. Finally, the dune scene in the background features a small footpath to the shore. Though no humans are directly visible in the mural, the legacies of their interventions in the landscape are present. People not only have the power to greatly affect the environment, but also the responsibility to be stewards of the earth.