We the People: Anti-Fascist Art Events
Evanston artists unite for music, visual art, and literary readings in defiance of authoritarianism across three collaborative events.
"We the People" is a collective of Evanston artists—Ann Kogen, Brian Gephart, Steve Cejtin, Socorro Mucino, Bonnie Katz, Jan Ellenstein, Jonathan Bloom, and David Keeshin—who organized three anti-fascist art events in response to a national call from the organization "Fall of Freedom" for artists to unite in defiance of authoritarianism.
The first event was a concert of freedom songs held Friday at Hammer + Pixel (717 Custer Street), featuring local musicians performing against a backdrop of anti-fascist visual media.
Two additional events took place Saturday:
1. At Open Studio Project (901 Sherman Ave.): Artists created and displayed paper silhouettes under the motto "Art Matters, Courage is Contagious." This participatory event allowed audiences to engage with the creation of life-sized silhouettes as a form of artistic resistance.
2. At Squeezebox Books & Music (743 Main St.): Community members gathered to read excerpts from banned books, poetry, and literature, including passages from Alex Navalny's prison diary "Patriot," George Orwell's "1984," works by James Baldwin, and original poetry addressing current political concerns.
The initiative demonstrates how artists can collectively respond to calls for creative activism. Participants included musicians, visual artists, poets, and community members who contributed their talents and voices to the movement.