Are these photos Russia or America? You’ll probably guess wrong!
Photographer Seamus Murphy’s series Strange Love explores how daily life in America and Russia can appear strikingly similar, highlighting shared human experiences despite political and cultural divisions.
Origins of the Project
Murphy began photographing the United States in 2005 with the idea of creating a book about post-industrial America to mark fifty years since Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.
“I sort of missed that by a few years,” he says with a grin.
Early Life and Influences
Born in 1959 in the United Kingdom and raised in Ireland, Murphy’s childhood unfolded against a politically charged backdrop. In Dublin in 1963, he watched President John F. Kennedy pass by from his father’s shoulders, and months later witnessed his mother’s tears at the news of Kennedy’s assassination.
At school in 1970, a teacher read aloud from a book describing life in Communist Russia and the suppression of religion across the Soviet Union. These early experiences shaped Murphy’s perception of two opposing worlds.
Two Myths, One Vision
From an early age, Murphy absorbed contrasting myths: America as a land of freedom and opportunity for the Irish, and Russia as a threatening force determined to expand its power.
“America was a dream we had through TV, films and music,” he recalls.
Becoming a Photographer
In 1983 Murphy traveled to the United States, where he lived for a period and taught himself photography. This path led to a long career in photojournalism that took him across Afghanistan, Gaza, and Iraq, developing his eye for stories that blur national and cultural boundaries.
Author’s Summary
Seamus Murphy’s photographic journey shows how ordinary lives in America and Russia mirror each other, reminding us that human experience often transcends political divides.