ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
The Lynnway was the site of the second night in which snapshots and video footage from Cambodia, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala were displayed.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — The work of student filmmakers from RAW Art Work’s Real to Reel Film School was on full display on the Lynnway Tuesday night.
In a project called HOME, Cyntheara Tham, Tony Peguero, Nadia Healey, Marylys Merida, Rajaiah Jones, and Daymian Meija traveled to countries of their respective families’ origin last year, said Chris Gaines, artistic director of Real to Reel. They each created a personal film about their experiences framed in the concept of home.
One student visited Cambodia for the first time. Her parents, both 100 percent Cambodian, fled the country during the Cambodian Civil War, said Gaines. Not only did they leave behind the life they knew, but they lost contact with many relatives.
“She had family there that she had never met,” he said. “We took her there to meet her family and connect with her roots.”
Another student visited Guatemala, while the rest traveled to the Dominican Republic.
Snapshots and video footage from the three countries and from Lynn were displayed for four hours Monday and Tuesday.
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“If you’re Dominican and you’re driving down the street and you see shots of streets and storefronts in your hometown, it’s kind of sweet,” said Gaines. “It’s a way to say thanks to all the people who have chosen to make Lynn home and to the people who call Lynn home. But it’s also like a portal — what if you could stand in your street and look to the other side of the world.”
On Monday night, images were projected onto the face of the Lynn City Hall building. Tonight they will be projected onto the flatiron building at 23 Central St.
The project also plays on the idea that home isn’t always just one location.
“RAW is an art therapy organization,” Gaines said. “We have to recognize that home doesn’t always have a positive connotation. We decided we wanted to take a year and talk about home. The question of ‘where is home’ is such a deep, important question, especially right now with this political climate. Lynn has a huge population of immigrants.”
The screening will move to RAW’s gallery on Thursday, where it will be included as part of the opening reception for HOME, the organization’s newest exhibit of more than 200 art pieces created by youths of all ages. The exhibit is largely supported by a grant from Adobe. RAW was one of seven organizations in the world to receive the Creative Catalyst designation.
The exhibit will open at 6 p.m. and viewing is free to the public. Gaines also encourages each passerby to honk, wave, stop to appreciate the work, and show their love for the city of Lynn.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte