'Portraits of Community' in Palm Beach County captures family, working class resilience

A fine art photography and audio series at the Cultural Council in Lake Worth Beach captures the resilience of working class families in their journeys toward stability — a way to illustrate how people "belong" during times of hardship and are "seen and heard," says multimedia artist and photographer Judith Rae.

With a medium-format film camera, Rae captures a dozen intimate family portraits, each frame in this solo exhibit — — serves as a testament to physical affection and connection.

Rae, who is of Brazilian and Jewish-Russian descent, said she relates to the project having been a 14-year-old immigrant teen mom who struggled to find support.

"The fact that we're showing up and doing our best is so important," Rae told WLRN. "And I want each family to know how much they matter and that they belong whether they were born here or not."

Rae, a celebrated travel and wedding photographer, said the project is inspired by her previous portrait and audio series which captured students in New York's Lower East Side.

A medium-format film camera is Rae's paint brush — the cameras are often manual and typically produce film sizes that are much larger than the standard 35mm film. The result: higher resolution images that are tonal rich with better dynamic range, shallower depth of field and less grain.

For this exhibit, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County partnered with the Children's Services Council's Bridges program, a community hub connecting families to early-childhood resources — health and parenting support, child care and early education services.

Jessica Ransom, a curator at Cultural Arts Council, selected the ten images, which are accompanied by a slideshow with audio clips from the subjects.

Rae said she was fascinated by a young girl who had expressed her passion for playing violin and dancing.

And one boy felt compelled to participate in Rae's creative process, shouting "do you want it in English or Spanish." Rae said it's those small, subtle moments that encapsulate the sense of belonging in a particular community.

"It was really special to hear their take on art," Rae said. "And for me, art really changed my life and gave me a voice. And so I love to hear the role that art plays in other people's lives, too."

IF YOU GO:

: The opening reception is Nov. 9, and the exhibit runs until Jan. 18. :, 601 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County