"Laundromatic Etude. En attendant la fin d'un cycle."
Series of 9 | Film photography | 35mm | 2011 | No longer available for sale
Series of 9 | Film photography | 35mm | 2011 | No longer available for sale
In "Laundromatic Etude” Julie Wolsztynski explores the intersection of the domestic and public in the laundromat through emptiness and ambiguity. Many of her images feature empty tile floors and countertops, while the rest of the image appears out of focus and hidden. These images could be from a kitchen or bathroom in the home, but their emptiness also mean that they lack authentic home-y qualities, like crumbs on the floor, appliances on countertops, and other domestic touches. When more domestic items do appear - like a couch, magazines, and a book - they seem strange and obstructed. For example, a phone book hangs from a wire as opposed to being placed on a bookshelf, and a blurry brown couch lies behind a motley collection of magazines. Although in line with her other series that also examine emptiness, Wolsztynski does so through more intimate images in this series. We usually associate intimacy and close-up shots with a deeper examination and divulgence of a subject, but by featuring uncluttered compositions in close-ups, finding meaning for these shots becomes a welcomed challenge. Zachary Marx-Kuo, Rice University ‘13