Joëlle Adjovi

The laundromats serve as a space where people from the same neighbourhood come to do practical yet very private tasks; washing, drying and folding their laundry.

Between these domestic rituals are many moments of silence and waiting, which create opportunities for strangers to talk to one another. Yet it rarely happens.

At a time where technology has replaced many face-to-face interactions and reshaped the way we form connections, the laundromats are one of the few places where we still have to show up physically and wait in the company of strangers.

With this project, I am investigating what kind of people come to these places and what stories they carry with them. Through conversations, I have been getting glimpses of the everyday lives of people coming and going.

 With this work, I want to raise the question of how we can start being present with one another without merely passing by. Stories From the Laundromats takes the time to stop, listen and talk to each other.