Blog
Northwestern Night at the Art Institute
Hunter Bachrach, One Book Fellow
October 10, 2024
There’s something awe-inspiring about the way fragments of a story can be arranged into a much larger and beautiful saga, spanning further than the pieces themselves. Last Thursday on October 10th, the Art Institute of Chicago invited Northwestern to explore a custom curation of Indigenous art and artifacts dating centuries back. Each year, the Institute assembles a special collection of pieces to tell a story relating to the communities and topics our One Book selection puts into conversation. Our guide, Dulce Diaz, showed us how much thought went into this curation, bringing us through Indigenous history as she talked about the novel’s highlights on the importance of oral history, remembering tradition, and preserving culture.
Diaz had us all pause for a moment and look at the tipi curtain shown in the second picture. We thought about the pattern of the warriors, the colors of their horses, their headpieces, and connected it to the paratextual understanding we hold of the materials and geography of this piece. It’s quite special to be able to see a story visually detailed over 150 years ago in a modern context.
The Art Institute didn’t always have this piece, though. Diaz told us about the ever-growing collection of Indigenous art, and how some of these stories haven’t been brought to Chicago until as recently as this year. Every day, the museum is being given new tapestries, vessels, curtains, clothes, tools and more that help us complete the history being passed down for countless generations. As more and more pieces enter the museum’s domain, the stories will continue to evolve and grow alongside our appreciation of the foundational role Indigenous art history has played in this country. All of these pieces, and many more, are on display at the Art Institute, with free admission for Northwestern students who bring their wildcards.
The Night Watchman Student Book Discussion
Vivian Bui, One Book Fellow
August 22, 2024
On August 22, 2024, One Book hosted its first event of the year: a thought-provoking student book discussion that brought together incoming and transfer students to explore complex themes surrounding identity, community, and resilience. In small groups, each led by a One Book Ambassador or Fellow, students used prepared questions to think about this year’s selection, Louise Erdrich's The Night Watchman. Students considered the experiences of Native American communities as shown in the novel, sparking engaging conversations about the power of language, cultural estrangement, and the implications of governmental policies. We tackled questions about the significance of writing for characters like Thomas, who finds meaning in both official documents and personal correspondence, emphasizing how these writings serve as a means of connection and expression. We also explored the character Patrice's critique of simplistic views on spirituality, provoking reflections on the deeper understandings of existence and identity.
The discussion was enriched by examining pivotal themes such as the community's relationship with boxing and its representation of struggle and resilience, as well as the role of the jewelry-making factory in shaping women's economic opportunities. Participants also discussed the novel's unique structure and its impact on storytelling, allowing for a multifaceted view of real-life challenges faced by Native American communities. The event highlighted the importance of literature as a lens through which to view and discuss contemporary social issues, encouraging students to engage with the material on both personal and communal levels. It also modeled a typical discussion section to prepare students for future classes. The One Book team looks forward to continuing these discussions throughout the school year.
