John DuBois • Power Switch

"We all came from somewhere; feelings of place and history are deeply rooted in family and society.  I knew at a fairly young age that I was 'half' Italian.  This came from my mother's side who arrived among the many Southern European immigrants to the United States.  I only came to appreciate the meaning of this heritage much later in life.  When an initial opportunity to photograph restricted areas of the hospital complex on Ellis Island, it was the draw of this family connection that drew me here as a place.  After many more visits it grew to an understanding of who was here and for me a connection to where I came from.” From 1892 to 1954 Ellis Island was a gateway for millions of immigrants to America.  This project began as a journey of family history but evolved into an exploration of place, of who came and, of the spirit of what remains.  The series this image was part of are constructed from historical images and the present, physical state of Ellis Island buildings. John DuBois lives in Issaquah, WA arriving in the Pacific Northwest by way of the East Coast and Wisconsin, growing up on the Jersey Shore, earning a B.A. in Economics at The George Washington University and then graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.