By photographer Ruth Barbato

My new photography exhibition, We are Kin, will be on display at the Wollongong Art Gallery throughout November. It explores how the simple act of starting a conversation with a stranger can foster a sense of connection and kinship.

Post-lockdown, I noticed an increased sense of disconnection present in society. Wanting to do something about it, I went out into the local community to capture portraits, listen to people’s stories and most importantly connect. I discovered people were keen to talk.

The exhibition We are Kin grew out of these interactions. The exhibition includes life-size portraits of some of the people I met accompanied by audio of a shared conversation. The audio is an integral part of the exhibition as it allows the viewer to connect with the person in the portrait by listening to their story.

Some of the stories include a farmer who has been struck by lightning, a Wollongong local who covered his car in astro turf and a woman who established the first breakdancing school in the Illawarra. All audio stories can be accessed at the exhibition or online at any time.

The exhibition’s aim is to celebrate the diversity of the local community and to show how we are surrounded by a rich river of stories. It hopes to inspire people to get curious about those around them and start a conversation. As a community, if we start to connect more deeply with each other it may just help heal the disconnection many people feel and replace it with a sense of kinship.

We are Kin is at Wollongong Art Gallery, Level 4, Nov 1-Dec 1. All welcome to the opening on Saturday, 2 November from 1-2:30pm.

About the photographer

Ruth Barbato is a portrait photographer in Wollongong. She is passionate about capturing people’s stories, individual and collective. Her aim is to celebrate the rich diversity around us and to inspire curiosity, empathy and a sense of kinship with others. She also loves a salty ocean swim and to dance like nobody’s watching.