For five years, photographer Alison Turner has been traveling around the United States armed only with her dog and her camera. During time spent in Maine, she came across a bingo hall and decided to step inside to see what was happening. As soon as she began interacting with the people playing and taking photographs, she was hooked. Over a two-year period, Turner began seeking out other halls around the country, including those in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, and California. She titled the work “Bingo Culture.”
I first discovered Alison Turner’s work when I was selecting images for the Center for Fine Art Photography’s exhibition, Dreams. Alison had a haunting image and I was happy to include it into the exhibition. This image was also included in the recent Art
Each location I encountered would bring in a true sense of community, each with their unique set of personalities and characters. As I continued my travels and visits to Bingo Halls across America, I realized I was looking at a cultural phenomenon that will be lost to future generations.
