When you’re driving strangers around all day in New York City, you’re bound to have a few tales to tell. Driving a taxi is an adventure that California boy and MFA grad Ryan Weideman — whose work we recently revisited on Lost at E Minor — was looking for when he landed in the big city in 1980. He drove a cab to pay the rent and wanted to be a street photographer, and it seems like it was a match made in heaven, judging by the photos he created during his years behind the wheel. Weideman’s passengers became his subjects — and they were more than happy to play it up for the lens. The resulting images are a remarkable look at the vibe, fashion, and grit of the city in the 1980s, as well as the occasional glimpse of the artist himself. We can only imagine the conversations that were had.
To see more of Weideman’s work, check out the Bruce Silverstein gallery website.