Right to Exist
Photographs by Camilla Martineli
December 6, 2019-January 25, 2020
A life lived between worlds, on the edge of exile, deportation and displacement.
Camilla Martineli's large-scale portraits and audio interviews explores the immigrant experience in a time of increased anti-immigrant sentiment.
Martineli seeks to explore how others managed the conflicting tension of old and new cultures: "I want to create a space where other immigrants like myself can feel secure in expressing our experiences and thoughts about identity, assimilation and cultural difference. I yearn to connect with people who I can relate to on issues that I personally feel conflicted about. I want to know if others feel the same and create a sense of community and sanctuary."
"I reached out to friends who I knew were also immigrants and introduced my project. Many were skeptical but a brave few came forward wanting to participate. I used a large format 4x5 camera to photograph my subjects because the process is meticulous and forces one to slow down and pay attention to the subject, listen to and observe what they have to say. I simultaneously conducted a series of discussions about their backgrounds and thoughts. I recorded these conversations and made them available for the public to hear. These stories and photographs construct a greater understanding of what life is like from our side. A life filled with vulnerability and strength intertwined so tightly that you cannot separate the two."
With special thanks to Stefania Greb, Phil Greaves, Alexia Oliveira, and Juan Salazar, who generously shared their insightful, profound and surprising stories.
