“The main inspiration for this project is the gratitude and love we both share for our own grandmothers. We see the power and importance of their wisdom and want to share it on a larger scale for younger generations.”
In 2017 photographer Joey Schultz was asked a question - ”What would be the most powerful photograph that you could take?” His answer was images of his grandmothers. That was the spark that lit the fire on the idea of photographing grandmothers all over the country and how powerful a collection that would be. He brought this idea to fellow photographer John Hanson over breakfast one day in Los Angeles and he agreed that this was an important and relevant concept. Noticing how our current culture’s idea of “beauty” rarely if ever included grandmothers, Schultz and Hanson felt this project had the potential to help shift our cultural norms toward honoring the beauty and wisdom of our grandmothers.
Simultaneously a cultural study of America, a spirited and cathartic adventure, and a tribute to matriarchal wisdom (and humor!) - this project, shot entirely on medium format film, is a photographic archive of grandmothers throughout the entirety of the United States. By connecting with these grandmothers through openness and curiosity, Schultz and Hanson have created a collection of portraits, advice and conversations that paint a diverse and powerfully authentic vision of the U.S. today.
"Go out and listen to your grandmothers, create space to learn from the unknown. It is with great pleasure and deep gratitude that we present our collection: Grandmothers of America"
“The experiences of these four tours were incredibly enriching. Through our process of meeting grandmothers at random, we found ourselves in unique and serendipitous situations. We experienced a lot of rejection in the process, but find the most gratifying and empowering experiences when our offer to hear wisdom and create a portrait are accepted.”
“Each grandmother was met through happenstance interactions, knocking on doors and encounters in public spaces; no photos were set up in advance. With each subject, we asked the same question; ‘What advice would you give to your younger self?’ The answer to that question serves as the caption to their photograph.”
“We see this as an essential opportunity to collocate with this event and to advocate the voices and stories of American women.”
Seeking to allow for a more detailed and in-depth look into the lives of their subjects, Hanson and Schultz have focused their project not just on the images, but also the words – the enlightened, funny, insightful conversations they had with each grandmother they met. “Each portrait gives us an idea of place, character, and mood, but the words included give us a glimpse into the mind, spirit, and voice of each subject. This text offers the viewer a new space and context to employ their own imagination and to engage in the storytelling process.”
