Artist Statement

Jeremy Dennis (b. 1990) is a contemporary fine art photographer and an enrolled member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation based in Southampton, New York. His photographic practice engages deeply with themes of Indigenous identity, representation, mythology, and cultural survival, using visual storytelling to challenge dominant narratives and affirm Native presence in both historical and contemporary contexts. Dennis earned an MFA from Pennsylvania State University and a BA in Studio Art from Stony Brook University, grounding his work in both academic training and lived experience. Growing up on the Shinnecock Reservation, his artistic perspective is shaped by a profound connection to land, community, and intergenerational memory, often weaving traditional knowledge and oral histories into conceptual frameworks that bridge past and present.

In 2016, Dennis initiated On This Site – Indigenous Long Island, a multimedia project that documents and brings visibility to sacred and culturally significant Native American sites throughout Long Island. Through a combination of photography, archival research, and a publicly accessible interactive map, Dennis invites viewers to witness landscapes that carry deep historical weight, yet are often unrecognized or erased from mainstream public memory. This ongoing project functions as both an artistic and educational endeavor—one that reframes the land as a living archive of Indigenous resilience, ceremony, and continuity. By restoring these narratives to their rightful place in the broader historical consciousness, Dennis seeks to cultivate a sense of stewardship, accountability, and acknowledgment across audiences.

Dennis further deepens this commitment to visibility and heritage through the Shinnecock Portrait Project, an initiative focused on celebrating the contemporary and historical identities of the Shinnecock people. The project juxtaposes restored archival photographs with striking new portraits of present-day tribal members, constructing a powerful continuum of existence that defies the marginalization and erasure so often imposed on Native communities. By elevating personal stories and familial lineages, Dennis affirms the vibrancy and endurance of his community, while also engaging in a broader conversation about the role of portraiture in cultural affirmation and sovereignty.

In 2020, responding to the isolation and creative limitations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dennis transformed his late grandmother’s home into Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio, a nonprofit art space located on the Shinnecock Reservation. What began as a personal act of reclamation quickly evolved into a vital communal resource—offering artist residencies, gallery exhibitions, public programming, and workshops specifically for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Ma’s House now functions as both a sanctuary and a catalyst, supporting underrepresented artists while fostering cross-cultural dialogue and artistic growth. Through this space, Dennis continues to nurture a broader vision of solidarity, accessibility, and creative empowerment rooted in Indigenous values of care, kinship, and collective storytelling.