Skip to content

Food & Drink

Complete Strangers Get Close in this Photography Series

In Richard Renaldi’s photos, strangers share a fleeting moment of intimacy

By Seattle Mag September 9, 2014

touching-void

This article originally appeared in the September 2014 issue of Seattle magazine.

They clasp hands, link arms or sometimes lay heads on each other’s shoulders. In a few cases, someone kisses another on the cheek. At first glance, New York photographer Richard Renaldi’s street portraits seem to be of oddly paired friends—people you wouldn’t expect to see hanging out together, who paused on the sidewalk for a spontaneous snapshot. But the subjects in his photos have never met. Since 2007, Renaldi has been traveling the country and asking complete strangers to physically interact for a series of photos called Touching Strangers. He compares his approach to finding willing subjects as “akin to what a hypnotist might do when they are able to identify people that are susceptible to their suggestions.” He scans passersby for people who seem open to pushing the limits of their personal space. The results are remarkably intimate. And while in some cases there are hints of reservation—a curled hand, a stiff arm—this only adds to the wonder of the photos, revealing that in this era of scant privacy, humans still find ways to keep something to themselves.

 

Follow Us

Podcast: Scott Stulen: Leading Seattle Art Museum into the Future

Podcast: Scott Stulen: Leading Seattle Art Museum into the Future

A Mix Of Fantasy And Reality

A Mix Of Fantasy And Reality

Kirsten Anderson found success selling outsider art. Now, nearly 30 years after founding Roq La Rue Gallery, she’s staying the course in a brand new location.

Gallerist Kirsten Anderson is having a full-circle moment. In March, she opened the doors of the newest location of Roq La Rue, the arts space she launched 27 years ago in Belltown. Now, after hop-scotching through the city — 13 years and several locations downtown, three years in Pioneer Square, a stint on Capitol Hill,…

Instruments of Inspiration

Instruments of Inspiration

Music4Life gives kids the chance to find their voice through the gift of music

Editor’s Note: Music4Life founder David Endicott died unexpectedly on May 30. Music4Life plans to continue its work, both as a tribute to David and to help the many children who benefit from its services.  Music saved David Endicott’s life. Endicott was a wayward youth when a band director named Emery Nordness took an interest in…

Taking Pride in Seattle

Taking Pride in Seattle

Vibrant celebrations honor Seattle’s rich LGBTQIA+ history

Last year marked 50 years of official Pride parades in Seattle. The monumental anniversary may have come and gone, but Seattle continues to position itself as a leader for queer communities. The city was recently ranked as one of the safest places for LGBTQIA+ travelers. Before the colorful, vibrant celebrations commonly associated with Pride Month,…