Artist Talk: "Invisible Threads," In the Gallery with Julia Cumes and Lipe Borges

Join photographer Julia Cumes and her collaborator, Lipe Borges, for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Invisible Threads: Portraits and Stories of our Global Neighbors. Julia and Lipe will share stories from the project’s creation—offering insight into the collaborative process, the subjects they met, and the themes that emerged throughout. This intimate talk invites audiences to see how the exhibition came together and the deeper purpose behind it.

Invisible Threads is a portrait and narrative series that offers a deeply human glimpse into the lives of those who have journeyed from other parts of the world and now call Cape Cod home. Through collaborative portraits and personal storytelling, the project invites us to slow down, to look more closely, and to listen.

Cape Cod is often seen as a place of summer escape—but beneath its familiar landscapes runs a quieter current: one of migration, resilience, and reinvention. These portraits—created with story-driven detail, thoughtful lighting, and trust—capture individuals at home, at work, and with their loved ones. Each image reflects a moment in a larger journey, shaped by memory, loss, hope, and becoming.

The stories represented here span Jamaica, Brazil, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Malaysia, Costa Rica, and beyond. They speak to displacement and belonging, cultural preservation and generational change, and the everyday acts of courage required to start anew. Every subject helped shape how their story is told, ensuring that Invisible Threads centers dignity, agency, and authenticity.

Accompanying each portrait is a narrative drawn from in-depth interviews—sharing personal histories that are too often unheard or overlooked. Together, image and story illuminate not just what has been endured, but what continues to be dreamed.

This work was created in close collaboration with Brazilian photographer Lipe Borges, whose creative partnership, lighting expertise, and thoughtful presence helped shape the visual depth and emotional tone of the series.

"As storytellers who've also crossed borders and built lives far from where we began, this work is deeply personal to both of us. That sense of in-between—of leaving one home while learning to belong in another—is something I've carried for a long time. This project reflects that experience, but more importantly, it's a tribute to those who've trusted us with their stories. Through these portraits and stories, we’ve come to know strength, vulnerability, and the quiet beauty of becoming known—and we invite you to do the same."

—Julia Cumes