Immigration: A Journey of Belonging

Immigration: A Journey of Belonging is on view at the Losinski Gallery in the Columbus Metropolitan Library's Main Library, running from Monday, September 28, through Thursday, November 12. It's a group exhibition curated by Julia Barrett, and it centers on a single, heavy question: what does it actually mean to belong?

That question is the thread that holds the whole show together. The exhibition pulls from the full spectrum of the immigrant experience, and it doesn't shy away from the hard parts. You'll see the painful side of displacement alongside the joyful side of connection, and the way immigration touches individual lives, challenges how we think about home, and brings people together in a shared search for belonging. It's a group show, so you're getting a range of voices and perspectives on the same theme rather than just one person's take.

There's a specific origin story behind the show, too. Barrett says the idea grew out of the sense of overwhelm she felt watching news footage of ICE officers in Minneapolis. That feeling—the weight of the headlines—is what pushed her to put together a collection of work that looks at the human side of the story. The exhibition is also part of the library's ARTober program, so it's one of several art-focused things happening around the city this fall.

If you're planning to stop by, the gallery is at the Main Library, 96 South Grant Avenue in downtown Columbus. It opens at 9 AM on September 28 and runs through November 12, when it closes at 6 PM. Admission is free.