Words and visual imagery are deeply entwined in Claudia Ruiz Gustafson’s solo exhibition, “Historias de Tierra y Mar: Stories of Land and Sea,” at the Multicultural Arts Center in East Cambridge.

Words and photos are dependent on each other and the mix reveals a great deal about Ruiz Gustafson’s life. Born in Peru, she moved to the United States in her 20s, the only member of her family to do so. The exhibit is an intimate look at the life and people she left behind, the sense of loss it created in her, and an appreciative look at the culture and locale where her parents live. In January, she was fortunate to be able to do a photographic exploration of their city, Lima, Peru, and return to the U.S. before the pandemic gripped us.