BRIDGEPORT — To gather contributions for the South Side Manifesto art show, notoriously low-tech artist Mike Pocius went old-school.
"I actually put leaflets in neighborhood coffee shops and libraries. I wanted to get the pulse of the streets," he said.
The show, which debuts Friday at Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St., brings together more than 40 Chicago artists who've created social justice-themed works of art.
"It's a wide open pallet … immigration, minimum wage, gun violence, U.S. involvement and crises and conflicts around the world," Pocius said. "One great thing about America is that we can express opinions about social concerns and the things we think need to change."
The provocative contributions — ranging from a silkscreened Statue of Liberty walking away from the country to stamp art depicting Vietnam war horrors — come from a mix of established artists and "young kids in their 20s," said Pocius, a photographer who documents street scenes across the city.
The show also includes a triptych painting from renowned muralist Gabriel Villa, whose Bridgeport work was controversially sandblasted away by the city in 2009 under the orders of Ald. Jim Balcer, who deemed the artwork a threat.
The show takes place 6-10 p.m. Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
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