Here Are Shopping Malls In All Their '80s Glory

Here Are Shopping Malls In All Their '80s Glory

Although malls may seem like an aspect of our culture that hasn't changed much, a look at photographer Michael Galinsky's mall photos from the late '80s might make you think twice.

Inspired by a photography class, Galinsky, then 20, took a trip across the United States to document shopping malls.

"I was taking a color photo class when I visited the Smith Haven Mall on Long Island in the winter of 1989," Galinsky told The Huffington Post. "I had my camera on me, so I started shooting ... I was a big fan of street photographers like Robert Frank and Gary Winogrand as well as William Eggleston who made amazing color photos. I thought about combining the former's focus on street photos with Eggleston's use of color and it all came together. My teacher was extremely supportive and suggested that I go shoot in other malls. I had just read 'On The Road' and decided to head across the country."

Galinsky's photographs wound up in his book Michael Galinsky: Malls Across America. Looking back, Galinksy notes that malls have certainly changed in the past 25 years or so.

"I think that online shopping has something to do with it, but it also has to do with other subtler shifts in our culture," Galinsky, who's currently working on a film about chronic illness, explained. "There are still malls, and new spaces still open while some close. It just isn't central to our cultural narrative like it was in the '80s."

Take a look at Galinsky's stunning photos below:

"Lovlies"

What Shopping Malls Looked Like In 1989

Before You Go

<strong>What do they like? </strong>

Holiday Tricks: 10 Ways To Make Shopping Easier This Holiday Season

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot