Oakland Faith
Oakland Faith
Over the past few decades, urban environments have seen a significant transformation in the way faith is perceived and practiced. With globalization and technology, traditional religious structures have had to adapt to new cultural and social norms. However, with the rise of secularism and the rejection of religion, communities have struggled to maintain their moral foundation.
Religion has historically been a source of communal identity, shared values, and social cohesion. The rejection of religion altogether has left many in urban communities feeling a sense of moral disorientation. Nonetheless, alternative forms of spirituality, ethics, and community building are emerging, and it remains to be seen how they might shape the future of urban faith.
The project "Houses of Worship" explores visually the coalescence of faiths and cultures within the diverse landscape of Oakland. Central to this study is an examination of the decline in attendance and subsequent transformation of these spaces, serving to illuminate the shifting paradigms of faith in contemporary society.
A project by Nicolò Sertorio
A project by Nicolò Sertorio & J Michael Tucker
Meet the TEAM
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As a child I was always fascinated with the God my friends prayed to as opposed the one that I knew was the right one, mine! I grew up Jewish, and more frequently went to mass with my Catholic friends than I ever attended synagogue. At the age of 13, I had my Bar Mitzvah and from then on, knew religion was not for me. I knew that there was something spiritual within me, but the idea of being driven into a religion based on other’s beliefs turned me off.
Faith and tradition play an important role in my life; I believe one must reflect on both to find the path that best suits them. The way in which faith and tradition have defined and often dictated the way people run their lives or want to run their lives is an integral part of why I’m photographing spiritual leaders. I’m fascinated how one can believe in and accept so strongly a faith that has been jettisoned onto them. I believe one should be who or what they want, and I love that we are all different.
In present day Oakland, I see a drastic change in our society; one that feels desperate, lawless, and disillusioned. Whether this is due to the pandemic, poverty, racism, or world affairs, I’ve listened to our spiritual leaders discuss how this plays out in their houses of worship. Can these leaders of our City make a difference? Do they hold on to tradition or venture out into modern times? Can spiritual leaders do enough to help these seemingly dire circumstances?
These are just some of the many questions I hope to answer for myself on this journey.
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Nicolò Sertorio is an Oakland-based artist who works primarily in photography. His practice is focused on the nature of co-existence, global and individual responsibility, while creating conversations around our best path forward. His projects engage socio-anthropological ideas by examining social behavior and environmental impact through image-making. His art spotlights the hidden costs of contemporary life, including economic disparity, environmental issues, and loss of identity. His multicultural background informs his pluralist sensibility and approach: he was born in Princeton, New Jersey (USA), raised in a multicultural family of artists, scientists and academics in Italy, and has also lived in Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, India, and Germany. Nicolò has developed from an early age an affinity for the ‘other’.
Sertorio's work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at galleries and institutions worldwide, including Diocletian's Palace, in Split, Croatia, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the FORMAT festival in Derby, United Kingdom. In addition, his photographic series Once We Were Here was recently featured in Scott Nichols Gallery's booth at The Photography Show, presented by AIPAD.
Still recognizing the value of multicultural experience, Sertorio has created work during numerous international residencies, including the Tao Hua Tan Artist Residency in Xuancheng, Anhui, China and Kala Art Institute residency in West Berkeley, California. He is also an engaged community member in Oakland who has served as the president of the Northern California chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), and sits on the industry advisory board at the City College of San Francisco, sharing decades of commercial photography experience.
Sertorio is an award-winning photographer, recognized six times by American Photography. He is also a three-time finalist of Critical Mass and won First Prize from the PDN Photo Annual. His visual stories have been featured in numerous magazines and online periodicals, including Wired Magazine, LensCulture, AD, Domus, Elle, Getty, Marie Claire, and Black Enterprise, and he has created public, corporate, and privately commissioned artwork. Sertorio also currently teaches at CCSF and his work is represented by Scott Nichols gallery.
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