What I love about this project so far is that it has been relatively easy to find people who will let me photograph them. Which is great when your fear about asking is that they will say no. I’ve only been told no 3 times so far. Being afraid of “no” is silly and this was a great reminder. New Yorkers have a tendency to give off a vibe of “don’t bother me unless it’s important” (and certainly, I am often one of them). So it has been a great practice in being well prepared to explain what I am doing and ready to take the photo. And occasionally I’m lucky enough to get to spend a little more time with my stranger and learn a bit more about them. Alexandra was not a rushed New Yorker at all.
Alexandra offered to take my photo when I was taking a photograph of myself to test the camera settings. I told her about my project and she agreed to be my stranger for the day. I didn’t have a pen with me for the model release, so we went to her apartment around the corner. Alexandra is from Barcelona and works as an AIDs research biologist. Her apartment is colorfully painted with lamp sculptures made from Singer sewing machines and copper wall sculptures replicating Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”. The sculptures employ plumbing accessories for the mouth, eyes… They are the work of Alexandra’s Argentine husband Cristian, who calls himself a plumber before calling himself an artist. Cristian came out of their bedroom carrying Maya who is just 39 days old. I don’t know if The Scream sculptures came before or after Maya was born, but hopefully they aren’t a self-fulling prophecy. (For the record she didn’t cry at all while I was there.) Good luck stranger family!
Alexandra in L.I.C. ©Katarina Kojic
©Katarina Kojic
Cristian confesses he’s obsessed with Edvard Munch. This is 1 of 5 or 6 sculptures based on “The Scream” photo ©Katarina Kojic
Cristian and Maya ©Katarina Kojic
Thanks Alexandra, Cristian and Maya! ©Katarina Kojic