This whole thing is a bit intimidating but I can say one thing honestly I left everything on the walls, I worked as hard as I could and busted my butt on this show. I have nothing to be embarrassed about no mater how people view it, I did my best, gave all that I could give. Even now as I type this I am drying a test print in the darkroom, got to finish one last print and will place it in the gallery at 5pm, 2 hours before the show opens.
What I am most happy about is that 4 Cambodian brothel portraits will be shown. The girl workers in the photos which were made back in 2003 have most likely passed on from AIDS, these images might be the only thing that remains of them, possibly the only thing that proves they were alive and mattered. Having 100+ people looking into those girls eyes tomorrow is what I always wanted, its like I kept a pledge to the girls I made when I was sitting in that brothel all those years ago drinking my $5 coke. They were sitting opposite me, tired and worn down, it was night, the passing men stared and made rude comments as they passed, it was as sad a thing as I have ever seen, the waisted lives the daily heartache. I remember thinking, I have to tell these girls story, now I feel in a very small way I am living up to that pledge.
Hung Vietnamese Brothel Worker, Poi Pet Cambodia 2003
