A cadre of Princeton University student groups recently created an art exhibit to inform the school president it has its collective eyes on him.
The “Eyes on Eisgruber” display, referencing President Christopher Eisgruber, was designed to “pressure” Princeton officials to move on demands made by the activist groups, The Daily Princetonian reports.
Originally erected on March 21, it recently was taken down due to the weather.
The banner on the display read “For years, we have made demands of the University to be more inclusive, equitable, and promote justice and decolonization. Our collective faces of current and past activists reflects our collective call to President Eisgruber and the University that we are watching as they fail to prioritize the demands of students.”
The coalition includes Divest Princeton, Natives at Princeton and the Princeton Indigenous Advocacy Coalition.
Under the banner were numerous photos of students and others ominously staring down administrators to let them know if they “continue to delay and delay” action on the demands, activists “will notice” and “not stand for it.”
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The coalition’s demands include divestment from the fossil fuel industry, an “affinity space” for Native American students and the hiring of “at least” two full-time Native staff, abolition of the campus police force and divestment from prisons.
“The project is a way for us to both literally and figuratively show that we have our eyes on Eisgruber. If the administration and [University] Board of Trustees actually care about our work and activism, we want them to show they care and treat this matter with some urgency because climate change and change on campus cannot afford another year of delay,” [Divest Princeton co-Coordinator Anna] Hiltner explained. …
Hiltner cited the effectiveness of artwork as a form of activism and detailed what she hopes the installation will achieve.
“The project is a way for us to both literally and figuratively show that we have our eyes on Eisgruber. If the administration and [University] Board of Trustees actually care about our work and activism, we want them to show they care and treat this matter with some urgency because climate change and change on campus cannot afford another year of delay,” Hiltner explained.
Natives at Princeton co-President Keely Toledo added that the exhibit was “a form of visual solidarity for student activists on campus,” to let them know “we see you.”
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IMAGES: The Daily Princetonian screencaps; Change Princeton Now / Twitter screencap
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