These black and white photographs were taken during a few months’ period in 1974 in front of two photo booths on Hollywood Blvd. Ave asked people to pose holding their recently taken self-portraits. It was a much more naive time 40 years ago. Very few people owned professional cameras. Now everybody can take pictures with their cellphone.

Duane Michaels said “The best photographs are those you take with your eyes closed.” It is the mind behind the camera that takes the photograph. With Photomat, Ave Pildas set up a situation where the viewer would understand the self-referential nature of these photographs of photographs to reflect on the medium itself. - Eliza Leonelli