OLIVIA CASTILLO
“BACK OF HOUSE”
In Back of House, I want to illuminate the intricate, unseen layers of the service industry. This project is a tribute to the individuals who work in these spaces, whose stories are told not through grand gestures, but through the quiet resilience and unspoken connections that bind them to their work. I have been a server at The Greene Turtle for over three years and it has totally changed my life. My coworkers are the people who inspired this project, I don't think they get enough praise for how hard they work and I want to give it to them. The service industry is an extremely important part of our society and yet, the workers are underpaid and overlooked.
Through this project, I hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for the people who make our daily lives easier and to spark conversations about the value of labor, empathy, and human connection. If you have ever worked in a restaurant or any customer service job, I see you, I appreciate you, and this project is dedicated to you.
ABOUT
Olivia Castillo is a New York photographer who strives to capture real life moments. Olivia has an Associate Degree in photography from Nassau Community College making her the first person in her family to obtain a college degree. She is continuing her education at the Fashion Institute of Technology in the Photography and Related Media BFA program with minors in History of Art and Film and Media Studies.
Olivia is honored to be the recipient of the Gordon Parks Foundation Scholarship for the 2024-2025 school year, nominated by the FIT Photography Department. She has exhibited work at Boomer Art Gallery, Saint Augustine Art Association, and Botanica Grove.
She has worked extensively at multiple photography studios including Seliger Studio Inc. In doing this, she now has a tremendous amount of knowledge working in production and archives. In addition, Olivia has created her own photography book titled Memory is Illusive.
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