Man with Opera Glasses, New York, 1974 | Portrait of Go Player, California, 1975 from Twosomes Copyright © Mark Chester — Man with Opera Glasses, New York, 1974 | Portrait of Go Player, California, 1975 from *Twosomes* Copyright © Mark Chester

Twosomes for a Cause

September 28, 2018

Contribute to the Mark Chester Diversity Project

Purchase a copy of the award-winning Twosomes and 100% of proceeds will help fund the production and distribution of the book The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape, Photographs of New Americans for gifting to all Massachusetts public libraries and schools. Fiscal agent for this philanthropic photography book and exhibit is MIRA, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.

Photographer's Notes: A Multicultural Landscape at Higgins Gallery

September 6, 2018

“In a democracy, the highest office is the office of citizen.” — Felix Frankfurter, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

Read the Photographer's Notes in the Falmouth Bulletin.

Please support our fundraising to print and distribute The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape to the libraries and schools in the 351 towns and cities in the state, as well as to each participant in the book, via MIRA.

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The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape @ Falmouth Art Center

April 30, 2018

The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape, Photographs of New Americans may be viewed throughout May at the Falmouth Art Center located at 137 Gifford Street. Hours are Monday – Friday: 9am – 4pm; Saturday: 10am – 2pm; and Sunday: 1pm – 4pm. A reception will be held on Friday, May 4th, from 5pm to 7pm followed by a talk with the artist and attorney Collin Mickle, Coordinator of the Immigration Resource Center in Hyannis, at 7pm.

NBAM HERITAGE GALLERY INSTALLATION

February 4, 2016

THE BAY STATE: A MULTICULTURAL LANDSCAPE OPENS IN NEW BEDFORD

The exhibit runs through March 20th. See the events listing for details.

SOAPBOX WCCA TV13 FEATURES Olga Kwasniewski and Olta Korda of THE BAY STATE: A MULTICULTURAL LANDSCAPE

November 4, 2015

WCCA TV13 produced Soapbox show is hosted by WCCA Executive Director Mauro DePasquale. Mauro's guests are Olga Kwasniewski and Olta Kodra. The topic of discussion is immigration.

Olga and Olta represent The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape with their inspiring personal perspectives.

Mark Chester presents a Multicultural Landscape at the SCC

Photographs: Jay Goldman

The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape, Photographs of New Americans by Mark Chester is a moving and powerful exhibit of more than 300 newly naturalized U.S. citizens who are residents of the Commonwealth. These inspirational photographic portraits create a visual archive celebrating the diversity of Massachusetts’ citizens from 165 countries around the globe. New Americans enriches the viewer by sharing the vast cultural resources and rich ethnic heritage of the Massachusetts’ 351 towns and cities.

DIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE SCC

June 16, 2015

The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape — Photographs of New Americans by Mark Chester was introduced in the Scandinavian Cultural Center's Nordic Hall to a diverse group, some in attendance participants in the project and others observers. The photographer, introduced by the SCC's cultural director, Christina Mealy, spoke of his inspiration and his mission to amass portraits of naturalized US citizens from the many countries of the world who reside in Massachusetts, for a book and exhibition, an example on display in the hall, that, with the book's publication, will launch at the New Bedford Art Museum. Three of the portrait subjects were invited up to the podium and each spoke movingly of the work and reasons for being involved.

Westy Egmont, Boston College professor and director of BC's Immigrant Integration Lab then gave an informative talk "exploring the history and current story of those who started life again in the States and made America the 'nation of nations' we know," entitled “Up the Golden Stairs: Dreams of Being American”.

The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape Photographs of New Americans By Mark Chester

January 13, 2015

“As you know it took him 30 years to become a citizen. He was so excited and we celebrated at a nearby bistro…. I do want to tell you that you made him feel so special that day. You added so much excitement to the day, signalling him out and taking pictures that he was so proud of and showed everyone. He even remembered that you told a woman who wanted to take pictures that this was a private session. He would tell everyone that the pictures were going into a professional book about immigration.”

–Patricia Anderson

Luis Edward Lozano-Pazmino of Hyannis was born in Ecuador in 1930 and became a citizen of the United States in 2013. He passed away on December 31, 2013 during a visit to Ecuador.

The Bay State: A Multicultural Landscape is a moving and powerful exhibit of more than 300 newly naturalized U.S. citizens who are residents of the Commonwealth. These inspirational photographic portraits create a visual archive celebrating the diversity of Massachusetts’ citizens from 160 countries around the globe. A Multicultural Landscape enriches the viewer by sharing the vast cultural resources and rich ethnic heritage of the Bay State’s 351 towns and cities.