The Encyclopedia of Things with creator Elisabeth Smolarz

The Photo Detective

Oct 22 2023 • 30 mins

This week on the podcast, Maureen is joined by Elisabeth Smolarz, who created the Encyclopedia of Things. They discuss the items that define our lives and why we keep them.


Related Episodes:

Episode 187: Building a Story with the Ancestry.com App

Episode 180: Photos, Memories, and English Genealogy with Emma Jolly

Links:


About My Guest:

Elisabeth Smolarz was born in Poland and emigrated to Germany as a teenager. She creates photography, video, and social interactions investigating how consciousness, perception, identity, and value are formed by one’s cultural milieu.

Smolarz has exhibited her work nationally and internationally for two decades. Her most recent solo exhibition, the “Encyclopedia of Things,” was presented at the Morgan Lehman Gallery resulting from a multi-year project supported by National Endowment for the Arts; the Queens Council on the Arts; and the City Artist Corps Grants program, and featured on PBS on 03/14/20. The German publisher Spector Books published a monograph with a selection of 120 portraits from the “Encyclopedia of Things” in the summer of 2022. The monograph was reviewed by Brooklyn Rail this Spring. Additionally, her work has been presented in venues including The Bronx Museum of Art, The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, EYEBEAM Center for Art + Technology, Lesley Heller Gallery, NARS Foundation, The Sculpture Center, Smack Mellon, The Queens Museum of Art, and Wave Hill, all New York City; Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw, Poland; Oberwelt e.V Stuttgart, Germany; Baden Württembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart, Germany; Photography Triennial Esslingen, Germany; Independent Museum of Contemporary Art, Cyprus; Reykjavik Photography Museum, Iceland; Espai d’art contemporani de Castelló, Spain; the Moscow Biennale, and others.




About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveÒhelps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others.   Learn more at

I'm thrilled to be offering something new. Photo investigations. These collaborative one-on-one sessions. Look at your family photos then you and I meet to discuss your mystery images. And find out how each clue and hint might contribute to your family history. Find out more by going to maureentaylor.com and clicking on family photo investigations.

Support the Show.

You Might Like

Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should Know
iHeartPodcasts
This American Life
This American Life
This American Life
Molecole Urban
Molecole Urban
Edoardo Imperiale
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
Criminal
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein Show
New York Times Opinion
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan | Cumulus Podcast Network
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
Radio Rental
Radio Rental
Tenderfoot TV & Audacy
We Can Do Hard Things
We Can Do Hard Things
Glennon Doyle and Audacy
Literally! With Rob Lowe
Literally! With Rob Lowe
Stitcher & Team Coco, Rob Lowe
Am I the Jerk?
Am I the Jerk?
youtube.com/amithejerk
Behind the Bastards
Behind the Bastards
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Girls Next Level
Girls Next Level
Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt & Audioboom