2015-present
As a feature performer I have been incredibly lucky to have performed in strip clubs across the United States. My patriotism (in the classic sense of the word) is rooted in these experiences and getting to entertain and mingle with people from all walks of life, all over the country. No matter where I go, humanity truly converges at the strip club.
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In my early days of dancing, I took an Intro to Photography class in which the portrait assignment led me to photograph the women I was spending my evenings with at work. The book Carnival Strippers by Susan Meiselas was then recommended to me by the course instructor. It felt so incredible and familiar. The images and stories within so perfectly portrayed the realness, complexity, and humanity of such a unique space and time of a world most people don’t know much about. The combination of grit and softness reminded me of my newly blossoming world. The historical context, storytelling, and imagery of Carnival Strippers inspired me to begin a long term project of Stripclub Snapshots.
Thank you so much to every single person who has let me capture them for this series. All subjects and identities captured with consent.
“From 1972 to 1975, I spent my summers photographing and interviewing women who performed striptease for small town carnivals in New England, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. As I followed the girl shows from town to town, I photographed the dancers’ public performances as well as their private lives. I also taped interviews with the dancers, their boyfriends, the show managers, and paying customers.” Susan Meiselas