Photography as an art medium has always stood out to me as a method of preserving specific moments of time. It’s one of the most accessible time capsules. Black Photobooth shows us just how accessible photography could be in 20th century. From the 20s all the way up to the 70s, photobooths have been enduring symbols of photography throughout America. Their ease of access and cheap price have led to them being the source of uncountable amounts of captured instances in time from all walks of life in the country.
From the collections of Nakki Goranin and Oliver Wasow comes a vast array of people and time periods that have utilized photobooths. Black Photobooth puts them all on display in the CPW, which acts as a museum as much as a gallery. Visitors can view portraits of people from as recent as the 70s, or happy couples stopping in for a group photo from as early as the 30s. These cultural snapshots show an array of time periods, with people taking on styles indicative of the time. These pictures were also very personal and have been found from the possessions of friends and families. Outfits and hairstyles emerging from America’s recent history were preserved, including: rustic overalls, bright dresses, old baseball jerseys, a greased-up pompadour, a voluminous afro, and dainty pigtails with bows.
Larger photobooths often had canvas backdrops with scenes of buildings and landscapes. These folky backgrounds could be filled in with watercolor, an alteration that only cost a quarter. The bright greens and pinks that filled in the otherwise monochrome scenes made several pictures stand out from the rest. The use of of single, watery pinks and greens evoke feelings of age and nostalgia.
My favorite aspect of Black Photobooth is the element of casualness in the subjects. There are friends hanging out, couples on a walk home, and many individuals just deciding they want a good picture of themselves in the moment. Every person on Earth has stories to them, and this photographs are glimpses into sudden moments in these strangers’ lives. Having this insight into unique little moments we would often never see fulfills my interest in connecting to people through random stories. It’s enriching to be able to have this all shared, even if it’s only through images.
This has been a fascinating exhibition, with so many pictures that visitors will truly get lost in the web of American culture woven throughout. It’s a historic display and a fantastic representation of the significance of photobooths that has been forgotten over time. Black Photobooth is on display until June 4th.
