Bank of America Banking Center Manager Roxanne Gorham, left, and Small Business Specialist Angie Snow, right, present Museum L-A Executive Director Rachel Desgrosseilliers a check for $5,000 to support Portraits and Voices: Workers of Seven Mills exhibit.

Bank of America helps to fund museum exhibit

LEWISTON – Bank of America has presented Museum L-A Executive Director Rachel Desgrosseilliers a check representing the bank’s $5,000 foundation grant to support the “Portraits and Voices: Workers of Seven Mills” exhibit.

“This is a big boost to the efforts of Museum L-A,” Desgrosseilliers said. “We are seeing increased demand for the programs and educational sessions we are presenting. We sincerely thank Bank of America for believing in us and for being part of leaving our children a legacy of their own community history.”

The exhibit, presented in the museum’s first-floor gallery space in the Bates Mill Complex, offers insights into the culture of work, family and life outside the mills.

Portraits and Voices has already received more than 1,900 visitors. It is part of the museum’s Millworkers Oral History and Photo Documentary Project, which began in 2004 with the first millworkers reunion.

From those in attendance, 45 people were chosen representing different jobs and backgrounds. They were interviewed by oral historian Andrea L’Hommedieu and photographed by documentary photographer and cultural historian Mark Silber.

Portraits and Voices is a multi-media experience with still photographs, DVDs of group and individual interviews, a short home movie shot at the Bates Mill, and excerpts of interviews accessible via cell phone.

The check presentation took place in front of a painting commissioned for the exhibit by local artist Ray Michaud. It depicts workers heading out of the Bates Mill at “shift change” time.

The special exhibit will be open through Feb. 28 at Museum L-A’s first-floor gallery space in the Bates Mill Complex, 35 Canal St.

The final phase of the project will be unveiled in the spring with the launch of a travel exhibit hosted by Museum L-A before it moves on to other venues in New England and Canada.

Museum L-A is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and also by appointment. For more information, contact the museum at 333-3881.