For more than a decade, Larry Cohen has been photographing Baltimore, documenting the rhythm and chaos he’s found on its streets. Cohen has lived in Maryland’s most populous city since 1988, and spends his days wandering the boulevards, sidewalks, highways, and back alleys, in search of images that feel so real you can “smell the street in them,” he tells VICE.
There’s a beautiful anarchy to his shots, but they are also underpinned by a certain bittersweetness. Many of the photos below were taken before 2020, and he tells VICE that he’s noticed a quietening in the city’s energy since the pandemic. It’s a localized example of a nationwide phenomenon: The boffins that study this stuff estimate that we now spend around an hour less per day outside than we did before COVID-19.
For now, Cohen’s work is an ever-growing archive of the spontaneous street encounter, and a reminder of what’s at stake as society gradually withdraws indoors. We caught up with him to chat about why Baltimore is special and what makes the perfect subject.
VICE: Hey, Larry. How would you describe your style?
Larry: I very much appreciate chaos and energy. The world slows down for me when I’m in those situations. It doesn’t feel chaotic, it feels slow, and I see everything happening in front of me. I want my photos to feel alive, not stagnant. I want you to feel the movement in the image.
How do you find some of the scenes you come across?
I go to events because there’s more people there and you feel freer to shoot. But a lot of it is walking the streets and getting a feel for it. I go to areas where there is life on the street, and then it’s just a case of putting in the time.
Are you talking to people or are you more of a floating witness?
I’m more silent, but I’m engaged and I don’t hide myself. I was always more of a question-asker and observer; I’m less interested in talking and more interested in images. Whether I’m at a social event or activism, I try to shoot it so that it looks like how it feels to be there.
How long have you lived in Baltimore?
I’ve been in the city since 1988. I feel like Baltimore is a part of me. I’ve gone through different iterations, but I very much appreciate contributing to it as an artist.
There is a realness to the streets of this city. One thing that it’s known for is its quirky oddity. I appreciate that. It’s also a city that struggles because there are some impoverished areas. I actually moved to West Baltimore after the Freddie Gray tragedy [25-year-old Gray was killed after sustaining injuries while in the custody of Baltimore Police in 2015; his death triggered city-wide protests] and walked the streets for 2-3 years. I wanted to get a real feel of what the city was like and to shoot in a real manner; not be somebody who comes from a white area and thinks he shoots Baltimore.
How has Baltimore changed since you started shooting it?
I think the pandemic has tampered down the energy that I feel in the amount of people on the streets since it happened. When you walk around enough you start to pick up on general feelings. There’s a picture I took in 2014 of kids after school fighting in the street, and I remember feeling that something was bubbling up in the city at that time—there was a negative energy building. Not more than four or five months later, came what happened to Freddie Gray and the city exploded.
Even now, you don’t feel like things have returned back to normal since the pandemic?
No, I’m not feeling the creative energy that I felt at a certain time from the people of Baltimore, and I rely on people very much. But I do think it will change and rise again.
What are some of the crazier things you’ve witnessed over the years?
I’ve been around for a lot of conflict between police and people; people destroying vehicles and things of that nature. I think what blows my mind is how amazing some people are, how they live their lives in a truly artistic manner, and they’re just out there—I appreciate those people. They are the ones that blow my mind.
When I see someone out on the street doing their thing I try to make a shot that’s worthy of them. I don’t like people playing for me, like a dancer or an entertainer—but I’ll completely lock in on the people who are doing it for themselves.
What are some of your favourite photos you’ve taken?
I appreciate the “listen to Kurt Cobain” shot. It just gives the vibe of being on the street in a real manner. It’s hard to get shots that are that raw of people that have this energy. You can sniff, feel, and smell the street in this photograph. And also I liked seeing Kurt Cobain still having an influence in East Baltimore.
What about the one of the two women and the old man on the bench [above]?
I saw this spot, and I thought this is where I need to be. They were already there, and I thought there was a beautiful contrast between the older man and the two ladies.
Lastly, tell me about the one of the wedding procession?
We went to this wedding in an art gallery. They did a New Orleans style procession after, and people came down the streets with drums, trumpets, and other instruments. I got up ahead of them, and I saw this lady that was on the left, and she was such a great character for a photograph. Ideally, when you’re taking a photo, you have something fixed that’s great and then you just hope that whatever else comes into the picture somehow elevates it.
Thanks, Larry.
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