LETTERS FROM THE BACKSIDE

2011-2013
Permanent Exhibition + Book

I worked alongside Neighborhood Story Project cofounder Abram Himelstein to create imagery for a book of handwritten letters, photographs, and historical reference to create a lens the daily lives of the folks that live and work on the backside of the New Orleans Fairgrounds racetrack. An incarnation of the project focusing on the Horsemen’s Cafeteria was published inTransgressor Magazine in 2015, and a permanent exhibition of framed portraits and letters is on display at the Fairgrounds.

Book to be released from UNO press in 2019.

Martin Brown, a retired jockey from Louisiana who now mixes mud for healing hooves, has worked the backside for 55 years

Mike Williams, from Arkansas, has worked as a groom for 20 years

Daniel Orantes, from Mexico, has worked as a groom for five years

Ruth Schmidt, an assistant trainer from Germany, has worked on the backside for 10 years

Patrons at the Horesemen's Cafeteria