The Art and Oppression Initiative

The Arts Research Institute's Art and Oppression initiative is a multifaceted engagement with issues of oppression, silence, and identity. The initiative includes a Visiting Artist program, Superheroes + Other Misfits; the bi-annual Freedom of Expression Student Comics Competition and Class, graduate student teaching fellowships, and faculty and student research support. The launch of this initiative is made possible by the generous support of donors Jim Gunderson and Peter Coha

2022 Art and Oppression Exhibition

An exhibition featuring works by a cohort of notable emerging UCSC artists. This exhibition showcases the artists’ examination of UCSC's historical graphic collection, including Marvel heroes, contemporary underground zines, and political cartoons. Each artist is directly engaging and responding to themes of oppression, silence, and identity and celebrating graphic works as a medium of resilience.