An art show in the Village looked to let attendees see violence through the lens of those that saw it first-hand.
Jake Ressler, a senior geographic information systems science major, started making collages in 2008 when he was bored, unemployed and living in a warehouse. Someone gave him a stack of magazines and he decided to cut them up and see what happened.
Ressler was one of two artists and two war veterans who spoke at the Art of Injustice exhibit at The Cup Friday night.
“In a sense [my art] helps me keep my sanity, it’s my thing when things are hard, I can channel all of my angst into it,” Ressler said.
Ressler said anytime he feels alienated, he uses those feelings for his work.
“It’s a way to channel all of my energy into something constructive,” Ressler said.
Although he started as a poet, Ressler said he realized in order to get depth in his work, he needed it to be visual.
“[My art] gives me a way to say things that otherwise can’t be said,” Ressler said. “I can take 10 people’s thoughts and ideas and mold them into something great while still being able to add in my own sentiments, dreams and visions.”
Ressler’s work will continue to be displayed on the wall of the coffee shop, along with Iraqi war veteran Aaron Hughes’ paintings and cups made by ceramist Ehren Tool.
Ball State senior political science major Caleb Hoagland also spoke at the exhibit.
Hoagland joined the army his senior year of high school. He signed a three-year contract to fight in Afghanistan, but ended up staying for five years.
“Signing a contract with Uncle Sam is kind of like signing a contract with the devil,” Hoagland said. “The terms can change and any national emergency can keep you over your allotted time.”
While in Afghanistan, Hoagland said his views on nonviolence changed.
“I became a little less anti-war, you kind of have to or you wont be successful, and not being successful means people you know dying,” Hoagland said. “When people are shooting at you and your friends, you cant be like ‘whoa, let’s talk about this f——d up situation we’re in.’”
Hoagland has been back for four years, and he said he still doesn’t feel fully used to being back. However, he has since joined Students for Creative Social Activism and has taken part in protests promoting nonviolence.
During a protest for Guantanamo Bay, Hoagland was water boarded in front of Bracken Library.
“You have to do something like [getting water boarded] because if you just stand there, you wont get the attention of college kids,” he said.
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