We are Kin exhibition
Wollongong City Libraries are partnering with local photographer Ruth Barbato to host the exhibition ‘We are Kin’. Through photos and the spoken word, the exhibition explores the power of connection – how kinship can grow from starting conversations with strangers.
Post ‘lockdown’, Ruth noticed an increased sense of disconnection present in society. Wanting to do something about it, she went out into the local Illawarra community to capture portraits, listen to people’s stories and most importantly connect.
The exhibition presents life-size portraits and audio conversations with some of the people she unearthed. The audio is an integral part of the exhibition as it allows the viewer to connect with the person in the portrait by listening to their story. It captures the story of now for the history of tomorrow. Ruth suggests, if as a community, if we start to connect more deeply with each other, it may just help heal the disconnection many people feel and replace it with a sense of kinship.