New Merced multimedia exhibit about Central Valley life set to debut at MAC

A vibrant photography and multimedia exhibit that captures myriad facets of life in Merced kicks off this week at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center (MAC).

“Central Valley Portraits” is the creation of photographer, filmmaker and poet Yehuda Sharim, who serves as an assistant professor in the Program of Global Art Studies at UC Merced.

The exhibit runs Aug. 4 through Oct. 3, and the opening reception is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the MAC, 645 W. Main St. in downtown Merced.

An artist talk with Sharim is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at the MAC.

The installation reflects everyday life in the changing urban complexes of Merced — everything from panoramic views of the sky with flocks of birds, conversations with nurses who struggle to cope with COVID-19 daily deaths, to intimate portrayals of encounters with strangers who became friends, according to a UC Merced news release.

Given that it’s a multimedia exhibit, attendees can expect to see, hear and read a variety of messages. The in-person exhibit consists of more than 60 photographs and two video installations, including Sharim’s short film “Red Line Lullaby,” which is simultaneously featured in Greece and Italy, and was the focus of a recent interview.

Video interviews with frontline health workers in Merced are also included to describe what they’ve faced during the pandemic.

“This country suffered many COVID-19 deaths, and we don’t talk about grieving,” Sharim said in the release. “What does it mean to grieve? Can we connect to our pain? What does it do to us if we can’t connect to this pain?”

Sharim’s documentary films have appeared in film festivals, artistic venues, and universities across the world.

For more information on Sharim’s work, visit www.sharimstudio.com