Guild Gatherings: Illusions10/19/17: Guild Gathering with Jeremy Dennis, Yuka Silvera, Kathryn Szoka, and Aurelio Torres.
Posted by Guild Hall of East Hampton on Thursday, October 19, 2017
Transcript
My name is Jeremy Dennis, I’m a digital photographer and visual artist from the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York. I went to Stony Brook University for drawing and painting and in 2016 received an MFA from Pennsylvania State University.
This is an intaglio etching I did during my time in undergrad that influenced my current work. I found that printmaking was a great way to experiment with replicating the image while also having a very unique object like a drawing or painting – which led to my study of darkroom photography.
What was missing was a visual art history of mythology and spirituality that originated out of my culture and people. This made me feel a strong desire to fill this gap.
This is a self-portrait I did at Pennsylvania State University.
The process essentially was a way of communicating with the past – it’s an attempt to see how my ancestors viewed the world, nature, and the unknown; while also forming a present that belongs entirely to us, a way of community building and bringing people together over a curious subject.
For most stories, I create only one image of what may be a decisive moment or a moment of contemplation. For example, this image is based on the indigenous story Sky Woman who descends from the sky world and lands on a turtles back. The Earth at this point completely under water. I asked why she was leaving the sky world; something we still don’t know, and made an image about that.
While I was gathering historical research last year from a different project, one story that stayed with me began at a physical historical marker I visited, dedicated in 1935.
During the 17th century, Shelter Island’s Sachem Pogatticut was interred in Montauk, but on the way there, the funerary procession rested at this spot between Sag Harbor and East Hampton – creating a sacred space recognized by NY State.
This was a perfect project to begin as I returned home from school in Pennsylvania, and having the landscape as available model or subject for camera.
This is an image is taken at a place known as Massacre Valley, just south of Fort Hill Cemetery in Montauk.
This past June, I was a resident at the Watermill Center, and during my two weeks there, I designed a fine art photo book that I self-published and brought with me today.
The process of transcribing lesser known texts at libraries and historical societies has made me aware of many important narratives that this project has been able to create awareness of, and influence new branch off ideas.
I am apply for future grants that will allow me to conduct more research and travel, produce new prints, and curate more exhibitions.
Thank you!