Breaking Free

Breaking Free is a group exhibition at the InterCommunity Gallery in East Hartford that asks more than 25 Connecticut artists a single question as the nation marks its 250th anniversary: what does freedom look like? Organized as part of the America250 celebration, the show explores freedom, resilience, healing and personal transformation across a range of mediums. The works range widely. Paul Gruhn's We the Pixels is a Python-generated piece made of 342 million individual pixels, one for every person in the United States. Dana Monique presents a portrait of her mother, who came to America with twenty-five dollars and a dream, while Gloria Walker's mosaic of porcelain, tile, metal and painted wood asks viewers to consider whether the country is fractured and whether it can heal. Mary Alice Landry focuses on the enduring spirit of the land itself. According to gallery artistic director Alex Ranniello, the breadth of perspectives is what makes the show distinctive, capturing a wide range of what people across Connecticut want to express about freedom. Presented by a community health center focused on mental health, substance use treatment and primary care, Breaking Free frames creativity and connection as their own form of healing. It is on view through July 31, 2026, with free admission.