University of Windsor professor Lee Rodney stands near the Gordie Howe International Bridge in Windsor, Ont., a project she says could reshape cross-border identity between Windsor and Detroit. (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)
By Victor Romao
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is rising at a time when the line between Windsor and Detroit can feel more fixed than fluid.
Tighter border controls, post-pandemic disruptions and political friction between Canada and the United States have made that divide more visible in recent years.
For decades, the Detroit River has been less a barrier than a seam, stitching together two cities whose economies, cultures and daily rhythms have long overlapped.
— Published on Jul 10th, 2026
Shifting Borders, an exhibition developed by guest curator Niku Koochak (left) in collaboration with Dr. Rodney to examine how borders are shaped by access, power and lived experience through contemporary art, archival materials and student-led research. (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)
By Victor Romao
An exhibition that ran March 12 to 20 at the University of Windsor’s School of Creative Arts (SoCA) Gallery invited visitors to reconsider the border not as a fixed line on a map, but as a shifting experience shaped by politics, access and personal history.
Shifting Borders examined how the international boundary between Windsor and Detroit — often perceived as close and easily crossed — can carry very different meanings depending on an individual’s circumstances.
— Published on Mar 31st, 2026
Alumna Niku Koochak is a recent winner of a Galleries Ontario curatorial award. (DAVE GAUTHIER/University of Windsor).
By Kate Hargreaves
Collaboration is at the heart of University of Windsor Master of Fine Arts (MFA) alumna Niku Koochak’s curatorial process.
Koochak (MFA ’24) recently received the Galleries Ontario / Galeries (GOG) Award for First Exhibition in a Public Art Gallery for curatorial work at Art Windsor-Essex (AWE) as part of its Below the 6 series, which highlights Southwestern Ontario artists.
— Published on Jan 20th, 2026
University of Windsor professor Lee Rodney stands near the Gordie Howe International Bridge in Windsor, Ont., a project she says could reshape cross-border identity between Windsor and Detroit. (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)
