Art exhibition gives voice to immigrants

New London — Lining a brick wall of the Expressiones Gallery on Bank Street this week, dozens of three-dimensional masks literally stood out, demanding the attention of passers-by.

Splashed with U.S. and international flags, they were the work of immigrant students learning English at New London Adult and Continuing Education.

Some featured magazine-cut-out words of encouragement: “hold on tight to your dreams; happiness depends on ourselves.”

Others depicted landmarks, such as a temple called Angkor Wat in Cambodia or the Statue of Liberty.

Each examined the complexities of leaving one life behind to start another.

Lee Park, for example, devoted half of her mask to South Korea, her home country. Park, an advanced English as a second language student, painted the left side of her mask brown to represent stability and the warmth of South Korea. She also included rings from the 2018 Winter Olympics, whose opening ceremony illustrated the technological advancement of the country.

On the right side, Park included the U.S. flag and the Statue of Lib-

erty. In a write-up about her mask, she commended Parkland, Fla., students for raising their voices after a gunman fatally shot 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February.

“The First Amendment makes this all the more meaningful and makes me proud to live in the United States,” she wrote.

The exhibition, called “Inspired Voices,” was the product of six months’ worth of work. With the help of Adult Education’s Andrea Fenton, a three-person team from the Florence Griswold Museum led more than 70 students from almost 30 countries through workshops on painting, clay sculpture, printmaking, collage and self-portraiture.

Some ceramics, paintings and prints also were on display as part of the exhibit.

Standing in the gallery Friday, Expressiones Director Jose Garaycochea said art offers a different way for English language learners to express what they’re feeling.

For context, he relayed his own experience. Garaycochea was more than 40 years old when he came to this country in 2004. He thought he’d be able to jump right in — he studied English in Chile before he left — but when he arrived, he found his accent and comprehension prohibited him from easing into everyday conversations.

Garaycochea recalled feeling stupid and frustrated with how long it took him to catch on. In an effort to expedite the process, he moved to New York City to wait tables at a highend restaurant, he said.

“It took me more than a year to really speak English,” said Garaycochea, who also teaches at Three Rivers Community College.

He said his accent still poses a problem sometimes — he urges his students each semester to give it a few weeks before they give up.

“This (exhibit) helps the immigrants find a way to express what they’re feeling,” he said. “But also, to the public, they can see how it feels, how this transition is for immigrants.”

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union supported the project and resulting exhibit, which was on display from May 18 through Friday.