The idea of hanging your wet laundry in public might seem absurd to younger generations of American city dwellers who rely on the local laundromat to take care of their weekly or -- let's be honest -- monthly washes. Urban residents in cities like Lisbon, Tel Aviv and Naples, however, are all too familiar with the tradition of letting your shirts and undergarments dry in the sun, draped over lines visible to each and every one of your neighbors.
Naples
It's a practice that Israel-born photographer Sivan Askayo recognizes as well, as she's spent more than her fair share snapping pictures of strangers' vibrant laundry across the globe. In a series titled "Intimacy Under the Wires," Askayo travels across Europe, Asia and the Americas, capturing detailed photos of other people's dangling clothes. Hanging beneath a window or stretched out between apartment buildings, her series shows that some traditions won't disappear easily.
"From looking at someone's laundry we can tell so much about them and their families without even meeting them. Some have all work shirts, some party dresses, some uniforms, children's clothes, tank tops, t-shirts, sexy lingerie and so on," Askayo wrote in a blog post for The Huffington Post. "Laundry is something so personal and private yet so public."
Take a peek through Askayo's intimate snapshots below.
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Brooklyn
Lisbon
Lisbon
Naples
Naples