On 24 September 2020, artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust joined representatives of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights and Illinois Humanities, grantees of the Art for Justice Fund, to kick off EXPO Chicago's EXHIBITION Weekend (25–27 September 2020), with a virtual roundtable on issues relating to mass incarceration, freedom, advocacy, and structural inequity.

The conversation, which has been transcribed and edited in partnership with Ocula Magazine, took place in honour of a limited-edition print produced by Cave and Faust, commissioned by EXPO Chicago for the last edition of the exposition. Following a tradition of artist-made prints for the Chicago International Art Exposition at Navy Pier during the 1980s and 90s, the work draws upon iconic motifs found in Cave's practice and sculptural 'Soundsuits'.

Nick Cave and Bob Faust are artists who almost need no introduction. They are both co-founders of the multidisciplinary art space, Facility, and we at EXPO Chicago have had the distinct pleasure of working with them over the last nine years that the fair has been in existence.

Recently, the artists produced Amends (2020): a three-part project, which, for one of its iterations, invited the local community to write messages on yellow ribbons reflecting on the perpetuation of racism and efforts to overcome it, which were then tied to a clothesline installed in front of Carl Schurz High School in Chicago.

Gabrielle Lyon is the executive director of Illinois Humanities. Lyon's work is focused on leveraging the power of the humanities to make Illinois a more livable state for all residents. Her work includes founding Project Exploration, a nationally recognised nonprofit organisation dedicated to changing the face of science for youth and girls of colour, as well as organising cross-sector stakeholders for social change through education both locally and nationally.

Read the full article about art for justice from at Ocula.