Text and artwork by Dora Nano

Interview by Anna Henderson

How did your series come to be?

I had a hobby of frequenting estate sales in New Jersey, often going alone and searching for cheap clothes and cameras. Soon into this ritual of mine, I realized that many of the spaces I entered were like something of a museum: an accidental exhibition, an archive of the former resident’s life. Some of the rooms were the childhood bedrooms of now adult children, left exactly as they were in the 1980's, like the photo of the baseball bat tucked in a corner, never to be picked up again. It was eerie, melancholy, and touching to have access to such intimate spaces, and a little bit heartbreaking to see these mementos of daily life, just left behind, up for sale. I decided to start photographing the homes that I entered, especially looking for archival family photos that remained.

Describe your creative process in one word?

Haphazard.

If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?

Making baklava!

What inspires you to pursue image-making?

The feeling of being able to trust your intuition and seeing the images in your mind before you take them. I wish I could always live with that little magical lens that feels like you can see photos everywhere. I always say I wish I had a camera implanted in my brain or something.

What was the last book you read or film you saw that inspired you?

Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Psychomagic.

What advice would you give to people just starting out in photography?

Just trust your gut, and practice a lot! Back up your work, and remember to look back at old stuff once in a while, you’ll be able to see so much growth.