My Fellow Americans

  • recent
  • The Vikings
  • Teabaggers' Ball
  • 9.11.2010
  • NY Comic Con, 2010
  • Ocupy Wall St.
  • Untitled Repertoire
  • SINGLES
  • My Fellow Americans
  • Carina, and I
  • All They Ever Wanted
  • bio
  • contact

My Fellow Americans 

I was born in Baku, Azerbaijan in 1982. My family and I came to America as refugees in 1991, as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh War which started shortly before the fall of the Soviet Union. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow directed us to locate to Providence, Rhode Island. We did (we had no preference, like many other refugees). We were the first members of our family to come to America, so over the years my immediate family was instrumental in helping our extended family move to the United States. My family quickly developed strong friendships with other refugee and immigrant families that settled in Rhode Island, most of whom also came from Azerbaijan. These friendships slowly formed a social group, united by common culture.

I began photographing my family and friends eleven years after I came to America, while enrolled in my first photography class at the university. The focus was to explore the different generations of Soviet immigrants and refugees who came to Rhode Island during the 1990’s. By photographing my subjects in their homes, at their jobs, in their neighborhoods – the environments that they inhabited on a daily basis, I wanted to capture the relationships that they have developed to and within these places ever since moving to America. Fascinated with the idea that the foundation of America was built by immigrants, I wanted to explore the roles that we play in American life; as workers, as parents, as siblings, as friends – as Americans.

This series is about a reconstruction of a life left behind. It is a portrait of my family and friends; a specific group of people who, due to the failure of the Soviet government, ended up in America. Through these photographs I explore the process of adaptation and the endurance of nostalgia – two unconditional aspects of immigrant life.

– Dennis Yermoshin

To purchase a copy of My Fellow Americans:













My Fellow Americans by Dennis Yermoshin
|
Make Your Own Book


Family dinner at my uncle, Valeriy's apartment.

Family dinner at my uncle, Valeriy's apartment.

May, 2006 Pawtucket, RI

My mother at a hairdresser's appointment.

My mother at a hairdresser's appointment.

October, 2008 Houston, TX

My aunt and my mother before a party.

My aunt and my mother before a party.

April, 2004 Providence, RI

My mother, Carina at my uncle Viktor's house warming party.

My mother, Carina at my uncle Viktor's house warming party.

Viktor was the first member of our family to buy a house in America. It was a great celebration, attended by many friends and relatives. July, 2005 Warwick, RI

Birthday party.

Birthday party.

August, 2006 Newport, RI

Margo, Andrey, and Alena at my cousin's birthday party.

Margo, Andrey, and Alena at my cousin's birthday party.

September, 2003 Providence, RI

My father and my uncle at my aunt's birthday party.

My father and my uncle at my aunt's birthday party.

February, 2004 Providence, RI.

My aunt in the kitchen of her family's first apartment in America.

My aunt in the kitchen of her family's first apartment in America.

March, 2003 Providence, RI.

My uncle, Viktor and his son, Vladislav.

My uncle, Viktor and his son, Vladislav.

July, 2006 Warwick, RI.

My cousin in the living room of his parents house.

My cousin in the living room of his parents house.

April, 2006 Warwick, RI

My cousin, Vladislav.

My cousin, Vladislav.

August, 2006 Providence, RI

My nephew, Nikita.

My nephew, Nikita.

July, 2005 Warwick, RI

My aunt at the cemetery.

My aunt at the cemetery.

May, 2007 Providence, RI

My parents, Carina and Michael.

My parents, Carina and Michael.

June, 2005 Warwick, RI

Departing plane.

Departing plane.

June, 2005 Warwick, RI

My uncle Viktor's hands.

My uncle Viktor's hands.

October, 2003 Newport, RI

Vladimir.

Vladimir.

September, 2005 Providence, RI

Rasik, with a black eye.

Rasik, with a black eye.

August, 2005 Pawtucket, RI

Armenian Expressionist painter, Yuriy Sarkisov.

Armenian Expressionist painter, Yuriy Sarkisov.

September, 2005 Providence, RI

An old photograph of Yuriy Sarkisov and his old friend.

An old photograph of Yuriy Sarkisov and his old friend.

This photo was taken at Yuriy Sarkisov's studio in Baku, Azerbaijan. March, 2006 Providence, RI

Smoke break.

Smoke break.

February, 2006 Warwick, RI

Vladislav, at sunset.

Vladislav, at sunset.

November, 2005 Providence, RI

Irina.

Irina.

August, 2013. Off Interstate 95 in Connecticut.

My father, Michael.

My father, Michael.

July, 2005 Providence, RI

Victoria, in front of her building of residence.

Victoria, in front of her building of residence.

March, 2006 Pawtucket, RI

Picnic.

Picnic.

A gathering of family and friends for a picnic at Lincoln Woods, in light of Thanksgiving. Most immigrant families try to combine the traditions of their motherland with American ones. November, 2005 Lincoln, RI

Touchdown.

Touchdown.

October, 2004 Providence,RI

A fight between two friends in a driveway, just outside of a party.

A fight between two friends in a driveway, just outside of a party.

February, 2006 Newport, RI

Gossip.

Gossip.

October, 2005. Providence, RI

Funny story.

Funny story.

November, 2006 Pawtucket, RI

My cousin, leaving an Italian restaurant.

My cousin, leaving an Italian restaurant.

October, 2005 Providence, RI

My uncle, at his job.

My uncle, at his job.

December, 2004 Pawtucket, RI

My mother, at her job

My mother, at her job

April, 2006 Warwick, RI

Irina, seven months pregnant in the room where she grew up.

Irina, seven months pregnant in the room where she grew up.

November, 2006 Providence, RI

My friend's son, Ivan; a first generation American.

My friend's son, Ivan; a first generation American.

December, 2005. Warwick, RI

My cousin, Vladislav and his son, Nikita.

My cousin, Vladislav and his son, Nikita.

April, 2006. Providence, RI

My mother in the living room, during a move to Houston.

My mother in the living room, during a move to Houston.

October, 2006 Providence, RI

Tatyana, walking home from the park.

Tatyana, walking home from the park.

August, 2013 Providence, RI

Christmas.

Christmas.

December, 2006 Houston, TX

My father's reflection.

My father's reflection.

November, 2005. Providence, RI

My father's medallion.

My father's medallion.

It was given to him as a gift from my mother, shortly after they both gained US citizenship in 1998. June, 2005 Providence, RI

01 / 41
contact: T 832.597.3988 E dennis@yermoshin.com NYC