In a new exhibition, which opened on May 17 at the California Heritage Museum, Los Angeles-based photojournalist Maxim Elramsisy invites the public to witness America in a moment of reckoning. “Portraits of a Fractured Union,” a striking ten-image showcase, explores the emotional landscape of the U.S. during and beyond the 2024 election cycle. The exhibit also offers an early look at Elramsisy’s forthcoming photobook, “Righteous,” now available for preorder.
Elramsisy, 37, a father and native Angeleno, brings a deeply personal lens to this project—rooted in conviction, contradiction, and the messy humanity of political identity. Shot independently across the country, his portraits capture candidates, public servants, student activists, and everyday citizens, each absorbed in what they believe to be a defining battle for the soul of the nation.
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“These are not caricatures,” said Elramsisy in an interview with the Sentinel. “I wanted to document the weight people were carrying, whether they were marching in the street or standing at a podium. I was chasing something more honest than headlines.”
Born and raised in L.A., Elramsisy initially pursued a career in neuroscience. He studied at Santa Monica College before working in a research lab under the mentorship of renowned brain surgeon Dr. Keith Black. But a serious knee injury forced him to pause—and reflect. That down time marked a turning point.
“I knew I didn’t want to work indoors for the rest of my life,” he said. “I started following my instincts.”
His instincts led him to a camera, to the streets, and eventually to documenting modern history as it unfolded. His first major foray into political photojournalism came in 2019, when he flew to Michigan to photograph then-President Donald Trump — on the very night of his first impeachment.
“I didn’t have a press credential or even a hotel booked,” Elramsisy recalled. “I just knew I had to be there.”
That bold sense of presence defines “Portraits of a Fractured Union”. The exhibition doesn’t aim to draw partisan lines but rather to reflect the quiet, complex realities shaping the country’s future—from protests over reproductive rights and the fallout of January 6, to intra-party tensions over foreign policy and the role of youth activism.
Elramsisy’s work, much of it created without special access or credentials, is as much about listening as it is about looking. His work has even contributed to stories for the Sentinel through California Black Media.
“I consider myself a photojournalist,” he says, “but this was done with the mindset of someone just showing up. This is the kind of work anyone could have made — if they were willing to be there and follow their gut.”
The project is the second collaboration between Elramsisy and the California Heritage Museum. In 2023, the museum featured his series “Call of the Champion’s Son,” a narrative focused on the young son of kickboxing champion Jermaine Soto. His ongoing relationship with the museum and ties to Santa Monica College have made the venue a natural home for his latest endeavor.
“Righteous,” the photobook from which the exhibit draws, is now available for preorder at www.RighteousbyME.com. Early supporters will receive signed copies and limited-edition prints.
Elramsisy hopes visitors leave the exhibit with a sense of reverence—for the times we’re living in and for the quiet power of showing up.
“History isn’t always made in sweeping speeches or viral clips,” he said. “Sometimes it’s found in a look, a posture, a moment of stillness. That’s what I’m hoping people will see in this work.”
“Portraits of a Fractured Union” by Maxim Elramsisy will be on view at the California Heritage Museum, located at 2612 Main Street in Santa Monica, California. The exhibition opened to the public on May 17, and will remain on display through July 2025. Admission is free, with a suggested donation to support the museum.
