Any New Yorker can tell you that a lot more pops off at laundromats than just extra rinse cycles. In my old Bushwick spot alone, I saw a four piece band, a woman slangin’ bootleg kung fu DVDs, and the occasional crew pouring Bud Lite into coffee mugs while folding fresh whites each morning. But photographers Benedict Brink and Todd Jordan are one-upping all of that: the pair are staging their new group photo show, The Spring Cleaning, at an Elizabeth Street laundromat.
Opening this Friday at Long Giang Dang Laundry, The Spring Cleaning boasts an exciting roster that runs the gamut from emerging talents to established photographers. Larry Clark, Ed and Deanna Templeton, and Gosha Rubchinskiy are joined by pro skater turned shutterbug Jerry Hsu, i-D contributors Clare Shilland and Maya Handley, and recent SVA grad Zak Krevitt, among others. But despite this wide range, Benedict and Todd maintain that common bonds of “wayward youth, freedom, and sexuality” unite the show’s works.
“This laundromat has had the same photographs on the wall for over five years now and I would still always stop and take a look whenever walking past. I always thought it was a perfect place to show photos or artwork because of how many people, by default, go there everyday,” Todd told i-D. “And generally when waiting for laundry you’re either staring at your phone or at the walls, so why not make the walls more interesting to stare at?”
“It took about 5 attempts to get a yes, including an amazing friend helping out with some Mandarin and Cantonese translations,” Benedict said of persuading the owners to let the show go on. “We really wanted to do something that was accesible and immediate, not intimidating or precious and that’s why the laundromat works so well!”
Because the laundromat is fully operational, Benedict and Todd won’t be holding an opening party (soap suds and beer foam don’t really mix.) Instead, the photos will be displayed for one week following three dates: May 29, June 26, and July 24. According to the establishment’s Yelp review, a particularly surly red headed patron is known to post up there, so be on the look out.
Credits
Text Emily Manning