Category No. 6 in the Catalogue of Lost Glimpses

        Storefronts

The street is all about commerce. Walking down the street, there are an infinite number of ways to exchange money. Almost every glance is in some way directed towards the possibility of purchasing something. A glance downwards into the gutter, gazing over the candy wrappers, cigarette butts, labels, and cellophane packaging reminds us of things that were purchased and discarded. A glance upwards over the awnings to read the names of stores, entices us to enter and empty our pockets of small change and dollar bills. A glance sideways, and we see vending machines, gumball machines, soda machines and toy rides, all waiting for their slots to be filled, their knobs turned, their content distributed and consumed. A glance through most windows on the street is to look at objects that are for sale. Even a glance through the window of a person's home is a reminder of thingsó-furnishings, kitchen utensils, couches, TVs, and radiosó-that we either possess, or would like to possess.

In these photographs, both the furnishings in the store and the activities of the street are reflected simultaneously. Passers-by choose either to see the reflection of the street in the window, or to look through the reflection and into the store where there is a vast interior display of plywood painted dressers, scalloped bedframes (replicating the style of queens), marbleized plastic coffee tables, and matching chairs.
 

But in choosing to ignore the reflection of the street in the store window, we miss the double glance of the goddess of the oyster-bed, who appears both as an object for sale, and as a reflection:

 

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(c)Kristin Prevallet  2001