Belonging: Connecting Art & Community in Thompson’s Point Outdoor Exhibit
Belonging: Connecting Art & Community in Thompson’s Point Outdoor Exhibit
If you have visited Thompson's Point recently, you may have encountered a series of large banners with striking and artistic portraits.
The exhibit, Belonging: Connecting Art & Community, is the culmination of a four-week workshop organized by Sofia Aldinio, an Argentine-American documentary photographer and multimedia storyteller. Sofia invited New Mainers to explore the meaning of "home" and "belonging" through the shared language of art.
“During the global pandemic, many immigrant communities within Portland felt isolated and in need of tools to insert themselves in an urban community that looked nothing like their homes. When I asked newcomers the question, “What does home mean?” one concept arose, “Belonging.”
Sofia Aldinio shares portraiture instruction with Belonging workshop participants.
Using photography, writing, and art, ten immigrants living in Portland, Maine, delved into what the concept of home meant to them under Sofia and Catherine LaBarre guidance, both of whom share the background of being immigrants themselves and artists living in Portland.
Belonging workshop notebooks.
Belonging workshop participants work on their self-portraits.
“What seemed to be a fun art project ended up being an eye-opening experience. A group of people, from all walks of life, with different religions, countries, beliefs came together and found belonging.”
A large part of Sofia's documentary work focuses on amplifying stories of immigrants and refugees arriving in the Northeast of the United States. For this project, participants created self-portraits that expressed what it meant to belong to one's self, to a culture, to a geographic location, or to a new community.
“Art is a privilege that not everyone has access to or the guidance to engage with; however, in my experience, it is an accessible tool that can break down cultural barriers by humanizing one’s experience,” Through engaging with artistic expression in a familiar and safe container, I [sought] to inspire participants to use any form of artistic medium to share their own experiences and values with others to weave a sense of belonging into their new homes and communities.”
Sofia Aldinio works with a workshop participant.
The project was made possible and funded by The Maine Arts Commission and SPACE Gallery. The Children's Museum & Theatre, along with Thompson's Point and the State Theater were honored to be a part of the project and help bring this exhibit to life. Other supporters included Good Medicine and Kari Herer.
“Belonging is central to our work and mission. Our visitors come from diverse backgrounds, bringing a rich tapestry of stories, experiences, and value. We strive to empower each individual to embrace what makes them unique; to be a place where everyone belongs. When Sofia approached us about the project, we were eager to have an opportunity to help bring this important dialogue and collaborative partnership to Thompson’s Point and our community.”
The Belonging exhibit will be on display through October thanks to support from Thompson’s Point. You can find the display adjacent to the Gather Lawn at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine.
Workshop participants and artists include: Suad Mohamed, Yannick Bizimana, Beny Lumanika Mbungu, Fatima Askari, Brenda Viola, Setara Saeedi, Greta Tucker, Mercia Ckaba Thomas, Akad Hamed, Mohammad Hashem Majidi
