Pratt Munson's Latest Exhibit, Mi Sueño, Focuses on an Asylum Seeker's Journey

UTICA, N.Y. — A Brooklyn-based artist originally from Israel brought his art to Utica.

Zac Hacmon’s show at Pratt Munson Gallery at the Munson Museum of Art in downtown Utica follows a transgender woman named Alexa who is seeking asylum from Nicaragua.

Hacmon met Alexa while volunteering at a refugee shelter in New York City.

In his multimedia art exhibit, Hacmon interprets Alexa’s experience with Nicaragua’s current socio-political situation, highlighting the struggles met by those seeking asylum.

The artist’s intention with his exhibit named Mi Sueño, or My Dream, is to show people who don’t have a direct connection to the refugee experience what it looks like.

He said that he hopes the exhibit will be able to support individuals at risk like Alexa, “but it’s also enough to have one person see the show and decide to do something also to respond, to help, to donate to volunteer. That is, for me, enough of an outcome.”

Hacmon said that his family has dealt with displacement.

“I personally know about the difficulties—the lack of opportunities as someone who has to be displaced. So, there is some personal aspect in it,” he said.

He said that he’s interested most in helping people and hopes his art can reach “people who don’t have much awareness of the issue—to tell the story. Maybe to learn a little bit about Nicaragua or other places that have this kind of crisis.”

The sound elements in his exhibit use Alexa’s voice reciting poems from Nicaragua. Some of the sculptures in the Utica display are interactive, including one where you get inside of a small space.

He’s hoping the Utica exhibit will be an immersive experience.

Through this project, Hacmon was able to assist Alexa by connecting her with humanitarian organizations. Now, Alexa has submitted her case for asylum and has a job helping other people in similar situations.

Mi Sueño is on display until Dec. 31 at the Pratt Munson Gallery inside of Munson’s Fountain Elms.