Maria Agostini
Staff Writer
Name: Sivan Askayo
Profession: Travel photographer and Writer
Nationality: Israeli
Location: New York
Contacts: www.sivanaskayo.com, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sivan-Askayo-Photography/303403963005383
Age: 36
1. Tell us about what you do.
I have been a Travel Photographer and a Writer for the last 3 years. I always say that I am documenting the city’s life and creating a city’s portrait.
For the last 2 years I have been shooting an on ongoing project called ‘Intimacy under the Wires’ in which I take pictures of different Laundry in every place I visit.
I also follow and document graffiti and Urban Art – that’s why, wherever I go, I always make sure to know where the Street Art scene is.
2. How did you end up doing it?
Before I turned to photography, I was working as a media supervisor in NY for a big media corporation. After a few years inside the media world, and after some life changing events, I decided to follow my passion for photography, writing and traveling, and to combine it all together to what I am (doing) now.
3. Where are you from originally & what has taken you where you live now?
I am originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, but I have been living in New York for the past 10 years – I always say that I have been living in NY more than in Tel Aviv, as an adult. I always wanted to go to NY and experience the city; I knew the only way to REALLY do it was by living there. There was a time in life when I told myself that ‘It is now or never’, so I packed my bags, and started a new chapter. I arrived two months after September 11 and the reality here was anything but easy.
4. Where else would you ever live? Why?
There are two places that have particularly inspired me and my photography. One of them is Paris; such a romantic and photogenic city. The phrase ‘City of Light’ goes really well with it its incredible light in the early morning and afternoon makes it perfect for photography.
The other one is Barcelona. It is such a happy and creative city. So sexy and vibrant. There is so much to shoot. I always feel as if I was walking in an Almadovar movie when I go there.
5. What is missing in your city’s art scene?
One of the reasons I moved to New York, besides my curiosity and my love for the city, was because I felt that Israel was quite small, and I wanted to try something different. Something bigger. Back then, I was working in advertising and I wanted to develop my career towards other horizons.
It is almost impossible to compare New York to other cities, as in New York you always have the feeling that EVERYTHING happens here. And it is great. It is a feeling of freedom and creativity.
Of course there are things I miss about Tel Aviv; first of all, the beach, situated alongside the city. I really miss the atmosphere of a Friday afternoon in Tel Aviv, it is a feeling you do not have in any other place in the world. It is when the fast pace of the city suddendly slows down and people get ready for Saturday, the weekend.
I miss the good coffee, there are many cafes outdoors. There are some in New York but you cannot compare the two. I miss my family and friends and I miss the fresh fruit and vegetables.
6. What has contributed the most towards what you have achieved?
I keep telling myself that ‘when there is a will, there is a way’; I think that in the art world you always need to keep going, have faith in yourself, be patient even if you do not see the results right away and have the ability to be flexible and creative in your way of being and in your way of thinking.
7. At the age of 20, what did you think you were going to do “in life” – where did you see yourself in the future? Has your dream come true already?
I always knew I was going to do something creative. At the age of 18, though, I went to the army; the military service is mandatory in Israel, and since you are dealing with some really important issues, there is no doubt that it changes you as a person. You have more responsibilities and become more mature. You could almost say you become an adult at the age of 18.
The summer before joining the army, I was taking photography classes and I remember I used to spend more than 4 hours a day in the darkroom, as I knew that once I became a soldier, I would not have had any time for my photography. After the army I could not decide whether I should go and study photography or advertising. Eventually, I chose advertising and I found myself working in big corporations representing very influencial clients. I did it for 8 years and definitely can say that in that field my dream came true. Then, when I switched to photography, it was like going back to an old love, but I did it at a more mature stage in life. I still feel I have a long way to go till I can say that my dream came true in my Photography’s path.
8. What projects are you currently working on?
My ongoing project is called ‘Intimacy Under the Wires’. Like a lot of things in life, my ‘Laundry project’ started with a random and unplanned photo. I was visiting Israel and was supposed to meet a friend, also a photographer, in the old part of Jaffa, Tel Aviv. It was a Friday afternoon – my favorite time of the week, (as I mentioned before) – and the streets were quiet. I was walking with my camera when I heard a woman’s voice talking or singing. I looked up and I couldn’t really see her, as she was hanging the laundry. I stood under the balcony, and waited for the wind to come by and add some ‘life’ and movement to the clothes. Back then I did not know it would have become a long term project, but I loved the way the clothes became animated, alive. It was April 2010.
After Tel Aviv, I stopped over in London for a few days, and, instead, I got stuck over there for a week due to the volcano eruption. I used that time to walk around the streets of London and take a lot of pictures. I was in Brixton, London, when I took the second laundry picture. It made me wonder about the people wearing those clothes. I really wanted to know more about them. What they did for a living, how did they look, body shape, etc. But mostly wanted to know about their personality – this picture really made me think further.
It became a project only after I took a few more pictures in Barcelona.
I had to create a series of photos for a class at ICP and I brought 3 images of Laundry from 3 different locations. I got great feedback from my classmates and my teacher suggested I continue to take more. So I started doing so everywhere I traveled. The project ‘Intimacy under the Wires’ actually got its name from Phaidon where it has been featured – I loved that name instantly.
When I take a picture of laundry I always make sure to relate it to its location. Whether its a street sign, a building, a window – I am also interested in the texture and colors of the buildings where the laundry is out to dry. For instance, when I went to Spain, I saw a lot of soccer uniforms, because, over there, people play a lot of soccer; in Paris, I really hoped to take pictures of sexy lingerie, but I was quite disappointed to find out that hanging laundry outside is apparently forbidden.
My next trip is to Vietnam and Tokyo and I am really curious about people’s laundry over there.
My fun daily project is called ‘My Life in Polaroids’ and I am also working on some articles for travel, life style & design magazines and blogs.
9. If you could meet any artist – living or dead – who would it be?
Oh, there are so many: Pedro Almadovar, Federico Fellini, Henri Cartier Bresson and Richard Avedon. Just from the tip of my head.
10. And finally, what are you hoping will get you your “15 minutes of fame”?
That’s a good question! I am so busy that I do not even have time to think about these 15 minutes; but if I do, then I would love to have a company or organisation sponsoring my ‘Intimacy under the Wires’ project, so that I could expand it to other destinations.
The traveller corner – Sivan’s tips if you were to go to New York
Art Gallery: Aperture Space (http://www.aperture.org/)
Theatre: The Joyce Theater (http://www.joyce.org/)
Band: Daniela and Ben Spector, Keren Ann
Area of the city: Meat Packing District and West Chelsea
Shop: Phaidon Book Store (http://it.phaidon.com/agenda/), Anthropologie (http://www.anthropologie.eu/europe/page/home), Magnolia Bakery (http://www.magnoliabakery.com/home.php)
Cafe: Café Gitane (http://www.cafegitanenyc.com/)
Hostel/B&B: Dream Downtown (http://www.dreamdowntown.com/) and Hotel Americano (http://www.hotel-americano.com/)
