Offering sanctuary through art

A new exhibition at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center opening next month will be paired with a public art walk and a wider message about immigration and belonging.

“Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026,” brings together an extensive range of media responding to the current political and societal landscape surrounding immigration. Work from 11 national and regional artists ranges from contemporary devotional painting and photography to documentary, graphic art, storytelling, music and printmaking.

Some examine the physical structures of control, such as Pamela Dodds’ printmaking project, “Documenting Border Barriers,” the film by Saman & Sasan Oskouei, “US/Mexico Border, San Diego,” and Jim Mott’s “ICE Detention Facilities and the American Landscape (Seven Studies).”

Others explore the emotional, cultural, and personal dimensions of displacement, such as RoCo’s video gallery installation, “When They Come For Me: Hope And Fear For Immigrants In The Promised Land” by Worldwide Documentaries, or the solidarity that persists even amid hostile systems, as in “Sound of Sanctuary,” a 10-track album spearheaded by Rochester-based musical artist Anaglog (Sean Mulligan).

“Sanctuary” also includes two community-based components, which bring together the voices of over 150 additional community members into the gallery.

“The Community Interview Project: Immigrant Experience” has nearly 100 interviews conducted by local artists of immigrants living in Rochester and the surrounding region. The collection strives to ground political debate in lived experience and give a diverse portrait of immigration by displaying the recorded words of neighbors, community leaders, and longtime residents. This part of the exhibit will only be shown at RoCo through two listening and viewing stations.

“Living in a sanctuary city as an immigrant artist gave me the motivation to participate as a videographer in this very important project,” says Rosa Vargas, who contributed to the Community Interview Project as a videographer. “This administration’s immigration enforcement terror squad has created a narrative that has pushed immigrants into the shadows of America. Being able to amplify the voices and stories of the people who sacrifice so much of their lives to come work the fields and farms in this country was a great honor.”

In addition is “(I’m)Migration,” a collection of over 70 artworks from Rochester-area residents reflecting on their own immigration experiences. The pieces span many backgrounds, generations, geographies, and artistic experience to deepen the perspective and humanity of those voices.

RoCo says all work in “Sanctuary” is centered on the “human lives behind political rhetoric,” and seeks to challenge narratives reducing immigrants to threats or statistics. Instead, there is a throughline uniting the art that celebrates the complexity, dignity, and human rights of these people.

“Our organization has a long history of supporting artists who are addressing our most important social and political issues, and in our current climate of censorship, it is more important than ever to continue the rich traditions of arts and activism: to amplify immigrant voices, support immigrant artists, build solidarity, and fight for a more just and humane future,” says Bleu Cease, executive director and curator at RoCo.

To emphasize this, the exhibit’s opening on First Friday will be paired with a “Route of Refusal” public art walk the next day on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The walk will start at the outdoor display of “BELONG,” a large art piece with the word made up of PEN America’s list of censored words such as “abortion,” “critical race theory,” “DEI,” and “gender based violence.” Artist Gianna Stewart will lead the group in spreading the artwork’s message to the planned detention center in downtown Rochester.

The program has been organized as part of the national “Fall of Freedom” weekend. This is the second year of the event, which intends to combat “fascist repression and censorship” by supporting artist-led creative resistance.

In addition, RoCo will host several related events to the exhibition’s theme. These include a film screening of “Ice Breaker / Match Maker” on Friday, Oct. 16; “Surviving Suppression,” a panel discussion on artists’ overcoming censorship on Friday, Oct. 23; and a live performance of “Sound of Sanctuary” on Friday Nov. 13.

“Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026” will be on view from Oct. 2 to Nov. 14. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m., with extended hours Fridays until 9 p.m. The opening reception for the exhibition will be held on First Friday, Oct. 2, from 6 to 9 p.m. Suggested admission is $2; admission is free for RoCo members.

Jacob Schermerhorn is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and data journalist.

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