“Samson's Hair Repaired' examines issues of immigration, memory, character and calling.

These photos are taken from a 10 year documentation of an Italian, immigrant barber who had been cutting hair for eight decades. Beginning in 1934, during the Great Depression, Tony the Barber ended his career in 2014 with the aftermath of the Great Recession. In his final days he was cutting hair three days a week in the same barbershop he began at age 16, located in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh, PA. Tony suffered a heart attack the last day he worked. He was 95 years of age.

The complete body of work from this project includes: still photographs, text, video & sound. It documents Tony, his customers and their very familial relationship. Many of his customers were multi-generational and crossed demographic lines of age, class and ethnicity. Many came into the shop for decades, some for 50, 60 and 70 years. One customer told me it was “the longest relationship I ever had”. As Tony tended to his customers he continued to attract an influx of new ones, in particular Asian immigrants, whom he had a special affection for as they reminded him of his own immigration status.