I’ve been collecting vernacular photographs for a few years and am interested in the ways artists have found a way to connect with these images of a bygone era. One such artist is Aline Smithson, an LA photographer whose various projects have explored the idea of aging and memory.

Smithson says the following about her “People I Don’t Know” series:

“For 25 years, I have collected photographs found on the ground. Recently I have been drawn to more formal portraits culled from dusty cardboard boxes in thrift stores or ratty suitcases at flea markets. There is an innate sadness connected to these photographs. Who are they? What are their stories?

I wanted the images to be seen again, to be considered and appreciated. In order to infuse life into the images, I asked people of the same gender and approximate age to hold a photograph, leaving room for the viewer to connect the living to those who have passed on. I feel a quiet satisfaction that these portraits get to be part of the world again to be held again, recognized with love and dignity.”