Artist: Leila Daw
Date: 2006
Material: Aluminum
Location: Courtland Seymour Wilson (Hill) Library Interior. 303 Washington Avenue.

The work of artist Leila Daw calls attention to the history of immigration in the Hill neighborhood of New Haven. Using a map of the earth divided into two parts, Daw presents the history of American immigrants before the Civil War and after-an event that changed the country. Large shapes reference continents and also suggest ships, while oversized maps of Connecticut and New Haven supplement the globe.

Images of immigrants appear in silhouette form, suspended by steel chain below the globe halves. These new Americans travel with bags to new lives, where, eventually they are "grounded" in the Hill, firmly attached to the exterior shelves of the library's bookcases. The figures are color coded according to their place of origin and appear either in positive or negative form-indicating the loss/gain struggle of the emigration/immigration experience.

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