On Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Library Living Room, NHTI presents the first event in its 2013-14 Wings of Knowledge lecture series, “Cultural and Ethnic Diversity in the Granite State: View through a Lens,” with Concord photographer Becky Field. The talk is free and open to the public.
Some people say that New Hampshire has little persity, but Becky Field doesn’t believe that. Two years ago she started a photographic project to document the lives of foreign-born residents in New Hampshire. Since then she has been immersed in the rich cultural and ethnic persity in the Granite State.
Focusing on immigrants and refugees, Field has photographed hundreds of people from more than 45 countries. She has been invited into homes and served interesting food; photographed ethnic and religious ceremonies; and documented people at work and at play. She has gone to citizenship ceremonies and recorded that important day for New Americans. She has witnessed the universal grief of losing loved ones, even photographing a funeral and grieving ceremony at the family’s request. She has made new friends and learned about the lives and experiences of our New American neighbors.
Some of the photographs from this project can be seen in a solo exhibit on display throughout October in the library at NHTI. The photographs show New Americans learning new skills, having fun, and practicing their traditions. Accompanying the photos is a display of several items from Bhutan provided by the Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire.
Field’s project shows through powerful images that while we have many differences, we still have the same dreams to raise healthy happy children, work to support our families, and learn new skills and practice traditions, both old and new.
“My intent is to show the strength, vitality and beauty that cultural and ethnic persity brings to our communities,” said Field.
Field is studying photography at the NH Institute of Art in Manchester. One of her photographs of a Somali girl recently was a winner in the FACES Contest in the magazine Photo District News.
Launched in 2001-02, Wings of Knowledge is an annual series of cultural events presented by the college. All events are free and open to the public. For more information call 230-4028.
