zoë gleitsman

"Seeking Faith" is a photographic investigation into my mother's family and its Mormon roots. I was a member of the LDS church until I was 14-I was baptized in my church basement at 8, I attended Sunday School, went to LDS-sponsored dances, and even went to LDS camp one summer. This part of my childhood feels entirely disconnected from the rest of my life, as I was also being raised Jewish in New York City (my father's family is Ashkenazi Jewish and has lived in and around New York for over five generations). Coming into adulthood, I began a journey of clarifying how my unique religious childhood impacted my identity and relationship to the world. Being Jewish has always felt more aligned with who I am, especially as I became more critical of the Mormon Church, its history and practices, and my family's involvement in these histories. Despite this, it's impossible for me to view the faith through a solely negative lens-the church provided my mother and her family necessary support and community throughout her childhood. My uncle and his family are my only close relatives that remain practicing. For this project, I flew to Arizona with my mom and sibling to stay with my uncle's family and attend church with them. I documented my experience re-visiting this integral part of my childhood and family history, photographing my family members, LDS church buildings, and the landscape. I also photographed my childhood apartment, integrating the space where I grew into myself and my identity. This project is my undergraduate thesis work and was made in 2019-2020.