I recently encountered a real relic of the past, a typewriter repair shop here in St. Louis. It was full of all forms of typewriters, from very old to electric IBM’s. Having not used a typewriter for 20 years, I was intrigued with the fact that people are still using these and having them repaired.
But, mainly I am intrigued with who has used these in the past…. each typewriter has a story to tell. Was it used to write a novel, poems or letters to editors? Was it used purely for business? Which users are still alive and which users have passed on?
I feel that more than most artifacts; the typewriter has a very personal connection with the user on a physical level (touching) AND on an emotional/intellectual level. The act of writing, even if only transcribing shorthand, draws upon the inner world of the typist.
In this series I am invoking the spirit of past users of each typewriter I photographed.
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