The American Dream is the subject of a New York photography
exhibit by Mark Paris, an artist who got to know a group of Latino immigrants while
working as a concrete pourer.
Paris focuses his camera lens on the immigrant laborers of
Long Island — the roofers, trash haulers, and other workers who do the jobs
that nobody else wants.
The weathered faces of these new Americans reflect all the
hardships hat today’s immigrants face. But Paris doesn’t just photograph
immigrant laborers. He also shows the faces of today’s anti-immigration
activists. They carry signs and flags and argue that the country needs stricter
immigration laws.
By showing both sides of the immigration debate, Paris
raises some interesting questions about the American Dream.
Do today’s immigrants have it harder than those who came before? Do they face bigger obstacles? Do they have the same opportunities to build better lives for themselves and their families? And do the anti-immigration activists have a point? Do we need to change the laws to reflect the new realities of immigration, or have the activists forgotten that America is a country that was built by immigrants? Does the American Dream still exist as it once did, Paris seems to be asking, or have the rules changed for today’s immigrants?
Photography by Mark Paris, School of Visual Arts, New York
City
Editorial by Lewis Taylor, a reporter for The Register Guard in Portland Oregon
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