Art at St. Luke's: Windows Into the Experience of Others

by Joe Scarry

I first saw the Windows and Mirrors exhibit when it was on display in Chicago a year ago.  I still remember being barely able to contain my excitement, and thinking, "Who will I tell about this?" I can remember jotting down notes as fast as I could, so I could describe these powerful images to others, and could encourage them to come see for themselves.Windows and Mirrors: Reflections on the War in Afghanistan is an art collection and traveling exhibition consisting of 45 murals created by artists from all over the world who have tried to capture the experience of the war in Afghanistan and to make it visible to people everywhere.  It includes a companion show of drawings made by children in Afghanistan. The collection is a project of the American Friends Service Committee - the arm of the Society of Friends (Quakers) that works for peace and justice, and which has a substantial presence here in Chicago.For the next month and a half, St. Luke's will be fortunate to be exhibiting a selection of reproductions from a special lending exhibition of the Windows and Mirrors project. We've mounted the exhibition just in time for the conclusion of our adult education program on NATO and our open-air Ascension Day "peacemaking" service to be held together with other Logan Square congregations on May 20, as well as the May 17 lecture on Post-9/11 Targeting of Muslims and the Friday, May 18 concert entitled,  "International Voices for Humanity & the Planet: Unite! Inspire! Resist! An Evening of Arts to Oppose NATO".So come and check out the new art on the walls of the sanctuary at St. Luke's! Copies of the exhibition catalog are available so that you can read about all of the images on display, as well as learn about the rest of the collection.The exhibition of selections from the Windows and Mirrors collection will continue through the end of June at St. Luke's Logan Square, 2649 N Francisco, Chicago, and will be viewable during Sunday morning worship as well as in conjunction with specific weekday events. Images:Eternal Scream by Michael Schwartz (Tucson, AZ) "I can weep with you, get angry, try to organize, but nothing will bring back the people you loved, killed by bombs, made with dollars that should have gone to teach kids about empathy, compassion, science, history, art, math and yes poetry."Untitled by an Afghan student - The book at the figure's feet is entitled, "First grade reader," and the alphabet cards at the figure's feet say, "Pomegranate, Grandfather, Corn, Ball, Peace"