- Pritzker Fellows
- Current Fellows
- Tonika Lewis Johnson
Tonika Lewis Johnson
Chicago-Based Social Justice Artist
Winter 2025 Visiting Pritzker Fellow
Seminar: "Reimagining Equity: Art as a Tool To Fight To Disrupt Segregation"
Biography
Tonika Lewis Johnson, a visionary photographer and social justice artist deeply rooted in Chicago's South Side Englewood, illuminates the shadows of injustice within real estate and land use practices, advocating for transformative change, especially in historic preservation.
Her ongoing opus, Folded Map, transcends visual storytelling by unraveling the stark disparities among segregated Chicago residents, compelling them to engage in meaningful conversations. Meanwhile, her poignant "Inequity For Sale" project unearths the living history of Greater Englewood homes sold under discriminatory Land Sale Contracts in the 50s and 60s, urging a critical reevaluation and the creation of positive change.
Internationally acclaimed, Tonika's artistry has earned her accolades, including Chicago Magazine's Chicagoan of the Year, and has been showcased at prestigious venues like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Rootwork Gallery in Pilsen, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Harold Washington Library Center, and Loyola University's Museum of Art.
Her impact extends beyond art, recognized as a 2019 Field Foundation "Leader for a New Chicago," a 2022 Landmark Illinois Influencer, and recently concluding a 2023 Ateliers Médicis Artist in Residence in Paris, France. Serving as a Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Cultural Advisory Council member, a lead co-founder of the Englewood Arts Collective, and the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.), Tonika now spearheads the Folded Map Project™ non-profit as its Creative Executive Officer, embodying the transformative power of art in advocacy and community leadership.
Seminar
Tonika Lewis Johnson is an award-winning Chicago-based artist, social justice advocate and lifelong resident of the city’s South Side. Through groundbreaking projects like Folded Map, Inequity for Sale and UnBlocked Englewood, she has demonstrated how art can uncover hidden histories and reveal their lasting impact on today’s policies, neighborhoods and communities. By combining storytelling, photography and creative advocacy, she examines the systemic inequities rooted in Chicago’s segregation and disinvestment while offering pathways to meaningful solutions.
Tonika's seminar will take place on Monday, February 10. Later this spring, Tonika will host a local trek with students and share how her art reveals the lasting impact of historic injustice and drives systemic change - showcasing creative strategies to reimagine equity and empower communities.
Fellows seminars are off the record and open to current UChicago students only.
In this seminar, Tonika will explore the intersection of art, history and systemic change, showcasing how her work challenges entrenched narratives, preserves Black cultural memory and proposes innovative strategies to reverse decades of harm. From exposing exploitative housing practices to fostering neighborhood revitalization, she illustrates how creative storytelling can connect people to history and inspire tangible action. She will highlight the transformative power of art as a catalyst for reimagining equity and driving community-driven solutions.