Northwestern University invites students and campus visitors to examine masculinity, friendship, and rest through a community art conversation featuring Demetrius Fields and Maria Sanchez. The public event centers on Bahamian artist Kachelle Knowles’s 2024 drawing Old People Drink At The Bar, Young People Drink in The Streets, on view at The Block Museum of Art.
The conversation takes place this fall as part of an ongoing partnership between Northwestern Athletics and Recreation and The Block Museum. Organizers designed the program to connect contemporary visual art with the lived experiences of student-athletes learning teamwork, leadership, and personal identity on campus.
Examine Art and Masculinity at The Block Museum
The public dialogue brings together Demetrius Fields, Director of Player Engagement for Northwestern Football, and Maria Sanchez, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Impact, Leadership, and Student Engagement. Both administrators plan to guide attendees through a close reading of Knowles’s drawing, exploring how concepts like ease, friendship, and rest intersect with modern definitions of masculinity both inside and outside of varsity sports.
The featured artwork serves as part of a rotating display inside The Living Room, a dedicated drop-in space at The Block Museum. The room features selected works curated by student-athletes, coaches, and staff alongside reflection prompts that link museum pieces directly to athletic culture and personal growth.
Museum exhibits drawing through November 15
Kachelle Knowles’s drawing is exhibited from Wednesday, October 28, through Sunday, November 15. Visitors can access The Living Room during museum hours to view the artwork, reflect, and share warm coffee and tea provided during weekly Wednesday gatherings running from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Programs at the museum remain open to all visitors on a first-come, first-served basis, with support provided by the Illinois Arts Council. While advance RSVPs are appreciated by organizers, they are not required for attendance.
Background on Northwestern Athletics Leadership
Demetrius Fields oversees personal, academic, and professional development programs for Northwestern football student-athletes, drawing on his background as a former Northwestern football student-athlete and native of Dallas, Texas. His portfolio includes leadership development, financial literacy, community outreach, and first-year transitions, alongside diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the department.
Maria Sanchez has served Northwestern Athletics since 2011 and leads strategic cultural initiatives as part of the executive staff. Sanchez oversees INVEST NU—the Student-Athlete Development Team—and serves as the program administrator for the Spirit Squad and sport administrator for the field hockey team, working closely with university leadership to uphold the Stronger Together Platform.
Kachelle Knowles artwork hosts conversations at The Block Museum
Who created the artwork featured in the discussion?
Bahamian artist Kachelle Knowles created the 2024 drawing titled Old People Drink At The Bar, Young People Drink in The Streets, purchased with funds provided by the Allen-Niesen Family.
Where does the public conversation take place?
The event is hosted at The Block Museum of Art on the Northwestern University campus, specifically utilizing The Living Room drop-in space for student and visitor gatherings.
Do visitors need to pay or register in advance to attend?
Programs are open to all visitors on a first-come, first-served basis with complimentary coffee and tea provided, and while RSVPs are appreciated, they are not required.
Worth a look