Another Philadelphia native! Laurence Salzmann (born 1944) is a photographer and filmmaker whose documentary work has taken him around the world, often living among the people he photographs. During a stay in Romania in the mid-1970s, he photographed the men of a public bathhouse in Rădăuți, where bathing was as much a social ritual as an opportunity to get clean.
What I love about these photographs is how candid and unselfconscious they feel. Men washing one another, talking, resting, or simply enjoying the heat and steam. There's nothing idealized about their bodies, and that's part of their appeal. The photographs have a photojournalistic quality, capturing moments that feel genuinely private despite the presence of a camera.
I especially like that Salzmann included himself in the bathhouse scene, something I rarely encounter outside studio photography. It makes the whole experience feel more personal, as though he wasn't just observing the men but participating in their world.
Please leave thoughts, questions, additions or corrections in the comments. Thank you, bns
While I've never been to a bathhouse, born too late, it still amuses my white friends that I bind my foreskin forward before entering a sauna. Sit on a towel because germs. But bind my foreskin like it's an inipi.
ReplyDeleteActually, given the epidemiologic issues of anywhere you can have sex with lots of strangers, I'd probably bind my foreskin at an actual bathhouse too, as a symbol of chastity. Maybe I just really like working out naked.
How interesting. I’ve never heard of binding foreskin. May I ask how it is done? I’m learning all the time. bns
DeleteVery interesting series, thank you. I had seen several of Mr. Salzmann's photos on various blogs without attribution, so now I know the artist. It's sad that so many bloggers do not credit or curate what they post.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I also recognize how tough it can be to find accurate info. Hopefully we’re doing our small part to help. You’re one of the best. bns
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