Interview About the Laundromat Project
I: What made you choose a Laundromat?
S: I guess what drew me to it were the travel posters. I thought how bizarre! Here are people doing the most mundane boring thing in the world, and
I: Tell me about Laundromat.
S: Laundromat was a project I started very soon after I moved to Minneapolis in 1976. Most of the images are from one Laundromat on Lake Street and … Oh, I've forgotten the cross street. To this day I consider it my best work.
I: Why is that?
S: I think it's because it captures people very unguarded but aware that I was taking their picture. It was a real breakthrough for me to move from the candid approach to a very open one. Initially I shot candid shots, but gradually began approaching people and asking them if I could take their picture. It surprised me how natural and honest they are. Not posed or staged, but very open and natural.
I: So what makes that so special?
S: I guess it was a real break through for me and really was an indication to me that Minneapolis could and would become a real home for me. You have to understand , my last major effort was the very dark and personal Leaks project, and after that a real stagnation of my whole existence in Cleveland. Laundromat is more human more extroverted and far more optimistic. It also speaks all about people's obliviousness to each other as they go about doing their mundane tasks. I mean there is one image of a mother nursing her baby and no one even gives it a second look. There's also a certain loneliness there too. I think this is especially reflected in the image with the young girl sitting all alone and the clock shows 8:00 or something. You can just put yourself into that picture…
they cover the walls with travel posters…well why not! Anyway it was that dis-symmetry that drew me there.
I: Did anyone resent you being there with a camera?
S: Some people did, I made sure I didn't take their picture, but most people seemed very receptive to it. It was very indicative of the neighborhood, and really foretold of my acceptance there.
I: I understand that you actually had a showing there?
S: Yes, shortly after I finished it I approached the manager and asked him if I could do a show. He actually was an artist himself and was very receptive and helpful. We had a show opening with punch and cookies - the whole bit!
I: How did it go?
S: It was great! We had punch and cookies and did the whole art show thing.
I: Did any of the pictures get vandalized?
S: No surprisingly no one did anything like that. Only one got stolen, and that was a picture of two tough looking guys. I considered it compliment that they probably took it.
I: Do you have a favorite image in this collection?
S: Hmm…I have lots of them. The first one of Double Load is a favorite, and the one of the mother and her two sons is another. I also like the one of that really shows off the travel posters against people loading the dryers.
S: I guess what drew me to it were the travel posters. I thought how bizarre! Here are people doing the most mundane boring thing in the world, and
I: Tell me about Laundromat.
S: Laundromat was a project I started very soon after I moved to Minneapolis in 1976. Most of the images are from one Laundromat on Lake Street and … Oh, I've forgotten the cross street. To this day I consider it my best work.
I: Why is that?
S: I think it's because it captures people very unguarded but aware that I was taking their picture. It was a real breakthrough for me to move from the candid approach to a very open one. Initially I shot candid shots, but gradually began approaching people and asking them if I could take their picture. It surprised me how natural and honest they are. Not posed or staged, but very open and natural.
I: So what makes that so special?
S: I guess it was a real break through for me and really was an indication to me that Minneapolis could and would become a real home for me. You have to understand , my last major effort was the very dark and personal Leaks project, and after that a real stagnation of my whole existence in Cleveland. Laundromat is more human more extroverted and far more optimistic. It also speaks all about people's obliviousness to each other as they go about doing their mundane tasks. I mean there is one image of a mother nursing her baby and no one even gives it a second look. There's also a certain loneliness there too. I think this is especially reflected in the image with the young girl sitting all alone and the clock shows 8:00 or something. You can just put yourself into that picture…
they cover the walls with travel posters…well why not! Anyway it was that dis-symmetry that drew me there.
I: Did anyone resent you being there with a camera?
S: Some people did, I made sure I didn't take their picture, but most people seemed very receptive to it. It was very indicative of the neighborhood, and really foretold of my acceptance there.
I: I understand that you actually had a showing there?
S: Yes, shortly after I finished it I approached the manager and asked him if I could do a show. He actually was an artist himself and was very receptive and helpful. We had a show opening with punch and cookies - the whole bit!
I: How did it go?
S: It was great! We had punch and cookies and did the whole art show thing.
I: Did any of the pictures get vandalized?
S: No surprisingly no one did anything like that. Only one got stolen, and that was a picture of two tough looking guys. I considered it compliment that they probably took it.
I: Do you have a favorite image in this collection?
S: Hmm…I have lots of them. The first one of Double Load is a favorite, and the one of the mother and her two sons is another. I also like the one of that really shows off the travel posters against people loading the dryers.