SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Gannett Gallery proudly presents, “I Am an Immigrant: The Ballad of Human Movement,” a new multimedia exhibition led by Dr. Ana Jofre, Associate Professor of Art and Design and Director of the Gannett Gallery, in collaboration with Sherman Stein. The exhibit runs October 6 through November 14, with an opening reception on Friday, October 10, from 5–7 p.m. A companion screening of Utica: The Last Refuge will take place Saturday, October 25 at 2 p.m. in the Kunsela Hall Auditorium.

Utica’s identity has long been shaped by waves of immigrants who have come from around the world to call the Mohawk Valley home. “I Am an Immigrant: The Ballad of Human Movement” celebrates these stories, both old and new, through sound, image, and personal reflection. The exhibition honors the immigrant’s role in shaping Utica’s cultural fabric and seeks to preserve this history against the forces of erasure and nativism.

“We are collecting and sharing these stories to celebrate how deeply connected we are to one another,” said Dr. Jofre. “Utica’s story is one of resilience, adaptation, and interdependence.”

Listening to Voices of Movement

The project began with intimate, in-person interviews conducted by Jofre and Stein with individuals across the region who have migrated to Utica from elsewhere. Participants ranged from personal friends to community members who volunteered to share their experiences. Using a simple hand-held recorder, the artists asked three deeply human questions:
 

How did you get here?

What obstacles did you face, and what do you continue to face?

In what ways do you feel comfortable or uncomfortable here?

Each recording is paired with a photograph, a portrait of the speaker or, for those who preferred anonymity, a meaningful object. Stein also photographed the Utica sites referenced in the stories, using an analog SLR camera. They collaborated with the Dunce Factory on film development. The result is an artistic and emotional record of movement, displacement, and belonging.

An Immersive Gallery Experience

Inside the Gannett Gallery, visitors are invited to move through a landscape of sound and image. Directional speakers, with casings built by SUNY Poly student Sam Botcho, isolate each story within a limited radius, allowing guests to step in and out of hearing range, immersing themselves in one story at a time. Each station includes a chair, a coffee table, and a photograph, creating an intimate listening space that feels both personal and reflective. Black and white landscape photographs of Utica hang on the gallery walls, anchoring the stories in a shared geography.

“This exhibition is about connection,” said Jofre. “Every story we recorded is part of a larger song—a ballad of human movement that continues to shape our city.”

Through storytelling, photography, and sound, Jofre and Stein invite the community to listen—to hear not just the words, but the heartbeat of Utica itself.