Registration is required. Visit www.EvanstonArtCenter.org for more information.

The Evanston Art Center (EAC) is excited to welcome the public to our upcoming exhibition, Presence and Absence: The Space Between | Curated by Indira Freitas Johnson. The exhibition will be on display from July 6 – August 2, 2026 with an opening reception on Sunday, July 12, 1–4 pm that will be free and open to the public.

Curated by Indira Freitas Johnson, Presence and Absence: The Space Between is the culminating exhibition for the EAC’s Curatorial Fellowship. Johnson’s fellowship explores the dual reality of death—the physical disappearance of those we love and the enduring emotional, spiritual, and cultural traces they leave behind. Through sculpture, painting, performance, and participatory installations, the exhibition brings together fragile and enduring materials to reflect on memory, loss, and the tension between impermanence and our human desire to hold on. Rather than viewing death as an ending, the exhibition considers it as a connective force between past, present, and future, inviting visitors to reflect on legacy, remembrance, and the ways we remain present even in our absence. Indira Freitas Johnson is a sculptor, cultural worker, peace activist, and educator whose work explores the intersection of art, community, and social change.

Presence and Absence: The Space Between will be exhibited in the First Floor Gallery of the Art Center. The opening reception is free and open to the public. This exhibition is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the EAC’s general membership.

Evanston Art Center, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is dedicated to fostering the appreciation and expression of the arts among diverse audiences. The Art Center offers extensive and innovative instruction in broad areas of artistic endeavor through classes, exhibitions, interactive arts activities, and community outreach initiatives.

Evanston Art Center is located at 1717 Central St., Evanston, IL.