The New Americans

In September 1998 I became a naturalized American citizen. The swearing-in ceremony was one of the most profound privileges in my life. I was living in Wichita, Kansas, and had to drive up to the regional office in Kansas City where, along with dozens of other new citizens from around the world that morning, I became truly American. My knowledge of the nation was tested and my faith in it confirmed. Although I had lived most of life in America, having moved to Massachusetts from Canada at the age of five, it was not until I undertook the process of becoming a citizen that I felt American. A sense of pride and wonder captivated me that day.

Each of these photographs portrays pairs of recently sworn-in American citizens, photographed immediately following their naturalization ceremony that took place at the federal courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, November 16, 2012. The relationship between the sitters spans a range of possible combinations, from same family members such as husband and wife, mother and son, to complete strangers, people who have never met yet share the bond of having experienced the same profound citizenship ceremony. The viewer is encouraged to speculate about the relationship between the pairs.

By titling this series The New Americans I refer to photographer Robert Frank's inspirational photographs titled The Americans (1958). In his photographs, Frank portrayed a nation of people engaged in daily activities spanning from the mundane to the remarkable. Rather than recreate Frank’s documentary realm, in my work I try to encourage viewers to consider what it is to be American in a contemporary moment, a time where dialogue among each other is crucial. Being American is for me--both as an artist and an individual--about engaging in dialogue with another person.

--Julie Moos, 2013