Two art exhibits by a photographer and a fine art painter illustrate and honor the journeys of new Americans. The exhibits, under the title of “Finding Home: Photos, Artwork, Stories & Voices of Immigrant,” can be seen at Kimball Jenkins in Concord throughout February and March.
One exhibit, in the Carriage House Gallery, displays photography, journey stories and audio recordings of New Hampshire immigrants. For the past decade, local photographer Becky Field has used her camera to honor the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity in the Granite State. This exhibit is drawn from Field’s recent book, Finding Home: Portraits and Memories of Immigrants, which includes photographs and stories of forty immigrant families in New Hampshire. Field commented on her project.
“Immigrants find home in New Hampshire for many reasons. Some come fleeing violence, others are looking for good education or work, and others come for love. For all, there are both challenges and opportunities.”
The second exhibit, located in the Victorian Mansion Gallery, displays the work of fine art painter, Jozimar Matimano. Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Matimano came to New Hampshire through the refugee resettlement program. His paintings use portraiture and symbolism to express his views of social events. He is now studying art at New England College.
As Matimano describes his work, “The symbolism in my paintings allows me to make statements about humanity and the global condition, as well as my feelings and opinions on politics, wealth, and society that I cannot express through words.”
An opening reception for both exhibits will be held at Kimball Jenkins on Feb. 19, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and will feature comments by the artists, along with music and light refreshments. These exhibits show the remarkable journeys of immigrants to find home here, as well as the role of photos, paintings, stories, and voices for illustrating the contributions of immigrants to our communities. The exhibits serve to build an appreciation of cultural diversity and stimulate public discussions about immigration policies and refugee resettlement.
Field’s exhibit is sponsored in part by a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. The University of New Hampshire Library received the grant to support three exhibits of Field’s work, the first at the Tillotson Center in August-September 2020, the second at the University of New Hampshire Library last October, and this third exhibit at Kimball Jenkins.
Information about Field’s photography project on cultural diversity can be found at DifferentRootsNH.com. More about Matimano’s work is at jozimarmatimano.com.
