just a few days ago i lived in new york…but, not anymore….an early morning phone call woke me up here in Rajasthan and i found out that i now have no place to live…not exactly what i wanted to hear even before i had my first cup of coffee….not exactly what i wanted to learn, period…disconcerting, disturbing, disorienting….

my whole building has been evacuated….indefinitely……a fire threat in the basement caused the new york city fire department to close down my building for fire code reasons….all tenants had two days to remove their belongings…..imagine….i am in India and suddenly  my precious original negatives, slides, hard drives, and books  are  being boxed and  hauled out the door  to  various  "safe" locations….to  the  homes of friends, to  Magnum  and  who knows where  else….no  time to  really remove the furniture, clothing etc., but i cannot even think about those  things…i do  not care about those things……..i only care about my "originals"…….thankfully, i am blessed with good friends  who have come to rescue my negatives, hard drives etc and are carrying out the evacuation process while i am sitting under a full moon by a campfire with my eight students on the other side of the world…very strange….

this represents  a "change in plans" to be sure….i cannot imagine now all that this really means…yet, i can only feel fortunate….everyone in the building is safe…..my negatives etc. are fine…no damage…..i do not even want to think what i would be thinking now if there had actually been a catastrophic fire….and i love my friends now more than ever and cannot imagine how i will repay them for what they are doing for me right now….

my workshop here in India ends in five days…..my original schedule had me flying straight back home this coming  monday….now i have no home…no place to go .. i quite literally have no plan…this is just a bit more serendipity than i really like …..does anyone out there have an extra sofa for me to sleep??? 

176 thoughts on “homeless”

  1. wow… i cannot believe this has happened to you. I am so sorry. Losing a home, no roots, no place, can be scary thing. You are always welcome in east harlem at my apartment it is plenty large.

    let me know if you need help storing or moving something. and i am not just offering to be polite.

    best of luck
    jonathan auch

  2. Kelly Lynn James

    There’s a whole room for you at our place in Austin if you need it. Better yet, meet us in New Orleans next week.

    There was an article about this in the NYT. I can’t believe the way they handled it. I couldn’t stop thinking about the little girl next door to you. But thank god it wasn’t a fire in the middle of the night instead. Hang in there. Home is where the heart is.

  3. Hey David,

    that sucks..Im glad your originals and back ups are safe. Clothes, firniture can all be replaced, but your work cannot. What a tragedy that would be. Im sure you will find a new home, and I hope you do.

    Been away from the computer for a while because of vacation so had no chance to participate in the discussions about the chosen work. Ill just sau it looks great and the website is good though VERY slow to load. Seeing all the plans for the future makes me want to get out there and shoot.

  4. My mum does have my old room free in the south of Spain if needed. Well, at least the worst didn’t happen (negs and people). Sounds to me like a common nightmare, like that of being chased or your teeth falling off.

  5. Have you ever been to Inwood? It’s right on the top of Manhattan and is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Entirely magical. http://inwoodpix.blogspot.com You’re welcome here. We have the space. We all love to have visitors and entertain regularly.

    I’m sure you’ll be spoiled for choice for a resting place lower down in Manhattan, however.

    Your situation is a total head fuck. You poor man. Rather scary.

  6. Hey David,

    Sorry to hear about the Kibbutz. You’re welcome in Stamford with Jen and I or at her mom’s house in Greenwich. Just a short train ride to and from the city if you need shelter. Let me know if I can help in any way.

    Andrew

  7. SO sorry to hear this news. I guess that’s why Marie and Michael were looking for you yesterday. With the kind of friends you have I’m sure opportunities will open up. Perhaps someone who is away for a long time will need a “housesitter”?

    Once we get “this old house” (it definitely could have been on the TV show) in Santa Fe finished there will be room for you. Unfortunately that won’t be till May. At least we now have a roof…comes in handy in the winter at 7000 feet! In the meantime there is only a blow up mattress on the living room floor in San Diego which is not suitable for you!!!

    Maybe with your very full schedule you will decide to stay on the road and just be a vagabond for a while? I can think of worse things to do…If it were me I’d just stay on in India indefinitely. Head into the mountains as the weather heats up….

    That’s one great thing about India…no matter how bad things get all you have to do is look around and you realize how much you have on every level compared to most of the people there and when you see how well they do with NOTHING it’s pretty inspirational.

    Not to negate how much of a bummer it is for you to lose your home but as you say…at least all your stuff is safe as are you.
    Thank goodness!!!

  8. Unbelievable! I was worried that “something” had happened after seeing this urgent message that Marie and Michael had posted yesterday…. Well, life is a bitch sometimes….At least I am glad that all your slides, negatives are safe…Things could always be worse although this certainly sucks big time! Well, even though I am sure that you would need to be in an even worse situation to ever consider moving to the mid-West (even temporarily), rest assured that you can always come to our house in Cincinnaty any time…. (it would have be total despair I am sure!). Hope your return to NY is not too painful and that you rapidly find a place to stay and move to… You have great friends who I am sure will be by your side when you return as it seems they have already been busy in your absence, watching after your important belongings…. Good luck David. Eric

  9. the kibbutz! wtf?? something doesn’t smell quite right about this..

    david, you are a man with hundreds of homes ‘with the light on’ all over this blue dot.. and incredible friends in new york doing what friends do.. you’ve kept your door open for so many just as doors are open for you now, (including this one like kelly said) .. rest easy and make the most of your time in india.. when you return your friends will be ‘at home’ to help..

  10. Hi David,

    Sorry to hear. You’re welcome to crash at my place in Oakland, CA. No loud parties tho.

    Matt

  11. I had to remove all my belongings from my San Francisco studio 5 years ago, and also plumbing, sink, oven, fridge, shower, gutted out carpet, etc… had 2 weeks to do it. But I was in Thailand. A friend stepped in, moved evrything out of it, and hmmm… Moved back everything after, save the utilities. Since then, I have showered and cooked upstairs in my other old friend’s appt, the one I have to take care of these days.

    When the system and regulation start screwing with your life and tells you what, your friends really show you what really matters in life. David, yes, you could also come to SF, and eat with me on thai and chinese and cafe food take-outs for a while, and listen to my 2500 classical CD collection, albeit showering upstairs….:-)

    Gee, D.A. Harvey homeless, in India. You holy beggar!

  12. David

    I have extra sofa for you, and you will be between friends here :)

    I think when you are traveler and you are often somewhere on the globe your Kibbutz it is more than just apartment, more than home. The human need the place called “my home” for return.
    I’m sorry for your lost.

    Remember you are not homeless!!… you have friends equal home!!!

    Martin

  13. i am really sorry to hear this. it is however heartening to note that no damage has been done and in any case, your precious belongings are being taken care of by your friends. it is always hard to hear this kind of a news and when you are so far away from your home, it is indeed most disturbing. at your heart you may be longing to be in new york at this very moment to personally supervise the moving of the things because it involves your life’s works. now that you have chosen to give preference to your duty over anything else even under such circumstances is something very important to take note of here. there is something to learn from that, surely. i hope everything will come out fine in the end and you will get back your home.

    ps. in case you choose to stay back for sometime in india, you are always welcome to stay at our humble place at calcutta and to watch how a bengali household goes on through its daily duties…

  14. The horror, the horror… It’s really hard to believe 8-o

    (If I move my negatives closer to wall, tidy up the corner and put the chair atop the table, there will be a perfect spot for you to sleep. You’re always welcome in Dublin, David, if you don’t mind the weather :-))

    Good luck. Loads and loads of good luck.

  15. David, if ever you were to find yourself desperate or masochistic enough to live in the DC suburbs again (screaming children included), you are more than welcome here. We’re pretty close to the metro, and not to worry, we shut down our basement matzo factory long ago.

    Max

  16. Shit Dude, Thats hard to take , at least you have good mates to look after the things that matter, time for all the good vibes you put out to come back to you..in spades I hope – Allways a place for you in the top end , Unfortunately you’d have to share a room with a cranky 2 year old.
    Cheers and good luck
    Glenn

  17. David,
    This sounds like a nightmare to me. It must be horrible to be in it.

    I live a bit out of the way (the Netherlands), and our place is already packed, and it’s too cold to stay in our garden house outside the city, so I can only offer you mental support at the moment, but if you are ever in Holland drop me a mail.

    Good luck and lots of strength with this horrible situation,

    Joost

  18. NIGHTMARE!!
    man, so sorry. you must have been f..king panicking.
    good job for your friends and back up.
    negs…..oh my god…so f..king precious.
    thank you Jesus, Allah, Buddha, I love you all!

  19. Im very sorry about what has happened to you. And also about the other people who lived in this house.

    Germany is no good idea? Here’s a sofa for you all time
    :D

    Good luck and all my best…

  20. That looks like your going to out of that home for a 6 months or a year, shame. Poor people who have nowhere else to go. We’ve got a bottom bunk if you’re desperate. I hope it all works out.

  21. David, that is realy sad news.
    It’s like the worst horror-scenario what can happen for a photographer.
    Hope everything will come 2 a good end.
    “Lucky” thing is that you have a lot of friends and people who wants to help you.

    Good luck, keep strong, always think positive.

    iori

  22. DAVID,

    I have an empty apartment (including furniture) in Berlin suburb until End of February if you need, as I now live by my girlfriend (in center of Berlin, before moving to South China) -)

    I had been wondering many times, in case my apartment takes fire, which things I would like to save?
    Very little finally: original films and some data on dvd or hard-drive. That’s what keep best my memories. And the rest, well, it wouldn’t be too bad. And finally I’m coming to this end as I must decide now what I bring with me to China, and what I sell / give away to friends.

    Years ago, after having spent 1 month in Poland for university, far away from France my homecountry, I was saying goodbye to my colleagues who were heading back to France. I had decided to stay 1 or 2 months more to backpack around the country. I didn’t know yet where I would sleep the evening, where I would spend the next weeks, an so on. Strong feeling of freedom. Strong feeling of being homeless. Great feeling, but not only positive… Freedom has a high cost.

    I think I’ve always been missing this feeling since then. I get a bit of it now that i’ve quitted my job in Germany to move to China, and am looking for a job there… Enthousiasm towards the coming new experiences, and stress because of all the uncertainity.

    QUESTION TO ALL:

    I imagine freelance photographers have to carry this feeling with them their whole life? How do you feel about that? How do you deal with this unsecure/unstable situation?

  23. Nightmare! I’m working in London at the moment, so my place in Barcelona is free for FEB. But I’m sure you’re keener to get to NY to make sure everything is safe.
    S

  24. Doesn’t sound nice but could be worst… If you plan Switzerland as a safe place and that you provide me a free workshop in my home town you are welcome :) Hope that everything will be back to normal soon…

  25. There’s a sofa bed at my place here in London – although I only just moved in and can’t figure out how it works yet… still better than NYC streets in 24F weather.

  26. I only have an extra hammock,
    but I can assure you is very comfortable
    the only thing is the fridge… empty…
    so you can go to the market and then right to my place
    I hope you find something soon…
    saludos,

  27. wow. that totally blows. David, come to Maine,and stay at our place. I’ll pick you up at any of the airports from NYC to Maine.

    This begs a question: As a member of Magnum wouldn’t it be safer to have all your originals somewhere in safe storage at Magnum?

    I would have thought that would be the way to go for film and slides and similarly for RAW’s at some sort of Magnum Intranet server backed up regularly.

  28. Bad news David! At least your originals are safe and so are your neighbors. It’s at times like this that you find true friends – and you have a lot of friends. I imagine that you could find at least a sofa in just about any part of the world judging by these posts. But a sofa isn’t home and I hope you get sorted in NY soon. Enjoy India; everyone here is wishing you well.

    Mike.

  29. you are welcome here in ct about 10 miles out of hartford. your own room, double bed and bath. my son lives in long island city– you could possibly crash there short term.

  30. David,
    my friend, this is the ultimate nightmare, hopefully all the vitals (archives, originals etc) will be safe, thanks to your friends.
    Let me know if there is anything I can do to help, from Brussels or elsewhere!
    Good luck for the IPW!
    See you soon.

  31. Really sorry to hear about this David; we are currently in the process of moving to a new house, and my parents also just moved to the other side of the country (and had to return all my backup disks and the like)… all the stress associated with my scenario, all my files in one temporary place, and now I cannot imagine how amplified it must be in your case…

    If you are still on the move in March, and ever in need of a sofa bed in South Africa, you are welcome here… I just hope soon you actually have a place to put a sofa of your own rather.

    Good luck, hope you get sorted by the time you return,
    L.

  32. David:

    i am so sorry to hear about this. Listen, if you need a place to stay in NYC, please let me know. I will send out notes to folks i know in Brooklyn who have space.

    I am so sorry to hear about this. please, if there is anything i can do, drop me a line.

    My thoughts are with you.

    hugs
    bob

  33. sorry to hear david… this must have been a nightmare, even more so because you are far away… however, something good is going to come out of this mess. it must…

  34. Glad that you are safe, and your good friends are safekeeping the most important things. A crappy situation to deal with under any circumstances, but especially when you are half a world away. My sofa is in St. Louis, but the dog will always make room. Seriously, please let this community know if there is anything we can collectively do to help.

    Joan

  35. Wow, the unfortunate end of an era. David, your place was like Gertrude Stein’s salon in Paris in the 1930s.

    And, to switch metaphors, I’m sure you’ll find that like George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” with regard to your need for hospitality, you are the richest man in town.

  36. Dear David. There was an eerie urgency in Marie’s email…made me scared. Thankfully you, your neighbors, and your photo history are safe. I had a house fire…whole house burned…fortunately i woke up to screaming flames and a blizzard of ash…was able to save my young daughter and me, but the house was gone in the middle of the night…along with kid drawings, photos, furniture. all that stuff.
    I still remember the horror of trying to get us out and thinking we would not make it. Knowing your building …god. emotionally, i’m so sad for you; Your opendoor policy will give all those who have found a haven with you an opportunity to do something for you.
    so sorry. love, anne

  37. David,
    Of course, this is the photographer’s ultimate nightmare…. well almost. You are lucky to have your archive saved. I cannot imagine loosing a lifetime of work in an instant, but we are all so vulnerable. Most of the time, we take things for granted. This incident should make all of us think and put this in perspective.

    I truly hope that you can return to your building very soon. Then of course, you can always come to the Outer Banks……..

    Mike

  38. Mike its not something that should be a problem with digital stuff just copy every thing on to a separate hard drive(s) and store it somewhere else. My archive is a terrible mess but it is backed up and stored at my wife’s office.

  39. “i do not even want to think what i would be thinking now if there had actually been a catastrophic fire”

    you’re so right david. it’s one thing to lose a place to stay, it’s another thing to lose a place and all the valuable things in it. then you’d truly lose “home.”

    still, the gravity of what happened to you remains. which only makes what you said –“and i love my friends now more than ever”–all the more powerful.

    be safe david

    bj

  40. It’s only an air mattress in the kitchen, but of course you are welcome to it anytime in Park Slope. Or if you need somewhere to put some personal items, they will be safe here, I can arrange to meet Marie.

    (As well as finding safe haven with friends and new friends, perhaps you can add to legend by gracing the Magnum offices with your presence for an evening if you feel up to it!)

    As I was falling asleep last night, I was thinking about your situation, feeling grateful for my bed and all the other things I have come to take for granted, even though I know better; I was in a nighttime fire as a little girl that took everything..

    Obviously the important thing is you and yours and your work are safe and ready for the next chapter, but how overwhelming! Seriously, if you can, get a puja done for your situation and maybe your vedic astrology read, it may offer some guidance and clarity. I was astonished at the accuracy of it for past events when I had mine done.

    Above all I wish you peace of mind and the continuance of an open, receptive state, to let the next wave of goodness in…it’s a comin’.

  41. Daviddddddddd!!!!!!
    You confusing me right now…I thought that we made clear plans that you are staying here in L.A with us!!!!!
    Its also time for you to relocate freezing N.Y…
    I got an extra long board an extra mountain bike…
    just bring a point & shoot camera just in case we wanna capture the moment…
    People please LIGHTEN UP… David is coming to L.A…staying with us…
    It is time for you D. to learn how to eat,post,blog,have sex,photograph and do anything IN TRAFFIC….while driving!!!!!!
    just like a typical Los Angelino!!!!
    Peace…

  42. I think the serendipitous part is that you had begun to document the kibbutz those past months. I’ve heard it said time and time again about the place: “too good to be true”…well, no NOT too good to be true, you all made it that little village, and everyone will be happy that you’ve kept moments of that alive.

    I really believe you will all get it back again, too much love and tlc in it not to, but in the mean time, you’ll just have to keep embracing those friends of yours. What a crazy world we live in, how beautiful is the serendipity of the many friends and homes you’ve made along the way.

    My sincere condolences though. It’s obvious you appreciate all of your “friends” but that doesn’t mean the uprooting isn’t painful.

    Suerte…

    (always a couch in crowne heights if you need one!)

  43. Yes Harry, I completely agree. The digital age has made it so much easier to backup our images off site. I have also heard DAH mention that he likes having archival prints stored somewhere just in case something happens to the original slides or negs. That’s certainly better than a complete loss.

    Six months ago I had an external hard drive crash with over 4 years of work on it. Fortunately I had another drive with duplicates, so bringing them back was easy. It made me think about how easy it is to loose digital images if one is not careful.

  44. David,

    I’m sorry to hear of your emergency move, but I’m glad nobody was hurt or in immediate danger. Clearly you have a community of friends to help you get through this. As was mentioned earlier, your stuff can all be replaced but the work is invaluable. Good luck and know you are always welcome in FredVegas if you are passing through Virginia!

  45. Bad news indeed.
    On the other hand this is the time when real friends come along physically and spiritually. I wouldn’t say you are lucky for having good friends because it’s clear by your post that you care about friendship . http://davidalanharvey.typepad.com/familyfriends/family_and_friends/index.html
    You get what you seed.
    I am also thinking about your friends Paolo Pellegrin, ,Stanley Green, chris anderson, Alex majoli, kadir van lohuizen and neighbors artists who are having the same problem. I hope they have such a good friends .
    Can you imagine the amount of work and art in that building?
    You have many sofas around the world David. No complain about that.
    “this is my energy source….a
    source of both love and pain….” DAH
    Peace

    Alex

  46. My god man, what a hellish mess that is. I hope this tragedy doesn’t spell a permanent end for the Kibbutz. This may not help, being over 3,800 miles away from your New York, but if you need a place to sack-out in Los Angeles, you have a home.

    Thankfully the FD found this problem, whatever it is, before you came home to a pile of smoking ash. I assume someone will explain, repeatedly and with due force, the need for timely upkeep of such a historic structure across the ass of your super. Excuse my swear, but this is the sort of thing that raises my hackles and brings out my vindictive side.

    Anyway, I wish you, Chris, Rob and the others all the best. May you guys take over another building and keep the tradition alive.

    Morgan

  47. Anthony Smallwood

    Damn Dave, total downer…sorry to hear about that, brother. You should come with me to the LA Art Fair this week…staying at O’Shei’s pad in Malibu. You KNOW it’s going to be an adventure…art, sunshine, five new empty pools!
    It goes without saying that I’ll help you gather and move your things. Just ask

    Tony Skater

  48. Yeah, David, I heard about this while it was happening… Found a whole crew of refugees waiting outside my place when I got home last night.

    Anyways, if you need to be back in Brooklyn, we’ve always got a spot for you down the street.

  49. hi david,

    sorry to hear the bad news. thankfully the fault was found before a fire. i hope it all works out okay for you and everyone else who lived there. my thoughts a with you all.

    take care,

    Jason

  50. Hello David…
    i am very sorry to hear that :-(
    I hope you already found a place to stay for while and than to live…

    maybe it is stupid to say that… but the loft was amazing!… that place was incredible!

    hmm…. so… same situation has now Chris Anderson? and Robert Clark with his studio? :( I wish you all good luck….

  51. Hi David, it’s so unreal what has just happened to you…. I’m really sory…
    Good thing that everything’s safe with friends. Good Friends. Hope You’ll get sorted soon.

    Good luck..
    maciej

  52. ps. Also.. i remember when you were talking about making a project about that loft…
    it’s the next lesson for all of us.. we should photograph… not wait… everything is just for some time, nothing is forever… we never know when something will dissapear…

  53. Such a twist of events on this roller coaster ride.

    David:

    Best of luck in coming home after what I hope will still be a great India experience. I feel as though Danbury, CT quite a short distance from NYC in mileage, but in mindset, lightyears away. Whatever the case, the light is on, the door is open, just as yours was for all of us.

    Best,

    Chris

  54. DAVID… Just came back… I went to my nearest “Locksmith”… I just made you a spare set of Home-keys … I already have spare car- keys..
    anyways.. come in whenever you ready…
    you have no excuse now…
    I also give free( the first two ) lessons, teaching ” how to cook Greek food in less than 2 minutes without a microwave.. What else you need god damn it..
    and sorry but my girlfriend is already ” booked” for Joni Karanka’s visit…
    Anyways… that’s my humble offer for now… and I really mean it!
    peace

  55. So sorry David, to hear this news. You’ve got quite a community here, all willing to help you. I hope you come back safely and find a new space easily. I’m truly learning how fragile our lives can be, but at least you are safe as well as all the other tenants in the Kibbutz. Thank you for letting us know what happened.
    I am so sorry this happened to you.
    janet

  56. dearest David,

    I took a peak at your blog last night before bedtime. Tears & sadness was my natural human reaction to your post.

    If you find yourself back in San Francisco, you have at least 3 DAH bloggers here ready to serve you fresh coffee and lodging…and plenty of hugs from my one & two year old.

    God Bless!

  57. David it seems by the many posts you have options. But if your in Minneapolis look me up. Make sure to dress warm or you will die. No b.s. about that right now. I thought about this same situation two months ago. I can’t imagine if I lost all my stuff in a fire or flood. What would I do? The beauty of digital is all my best slides are scanned in and on dvd. All my work for the last 4 years is on dvd and kept in a safety deposit box at the bank. I figure I can by new cameras, clothes, furniture ect. But how could I replace moments in time to never be re-created again?
    This stuff always happens at the worst time. Away from home. I was gone for a month back in ’05 when my neighbor called to say his big oak landed on my house the night before. What could I do. Well David know I will be praying for you through this tough situation. Be well.

    Mike

  58. David
    Coincidentally I was just on the phone to Erin in NYC and she told me that here and Marie had been moving your stuff………golly!
    Maybe you should hang onto your place in DC after all?
    Don’t forget my offer of a place to stay in Ireland…….
    Gunnar , Nick, Toomas and I will all be there last week in May……………
    Enjoy India!
    Clive

  59. Unbelievable!!! So sorry to hear this news David!

    I suspect that like most of your extended family here on the blog, you are always welcome in my home … spare bed, spare couch … but it’s in the Northwest woods. My little timberframe studio with loft in the moss-covered forest should be finished by the end of the summer, i’ve almost finished cutting the frame, so now, or later, you are always welcome. Worry not over things you cannot change … but i sincerely hope the issue is resolved to your benefit!

  60. Sorry to hear that, David. However, I don’t think you’ll be homeless for long. You’ve got lots of good mates to help you out. If you were in Sydney, I’d be one of them. Just take it easy and enjoy India for the time being.

    Backup plan is crucial. In theory, we should 3 backups of everything and one is off site. Mind you, I don’t have enough resource to do that full thing either.

  61. Sorry to hear that, David. However, I don’t think you’ll be homeless for long. You’ve got lots of good mates to help you out. If you were in Sydney, I’d be one of them. Just take it easy and enjoy India for the time being.

    Backup plan is crucial. In theory, we should 3 backups of everything and one is off site. Mind you, I don’t have enough resource to do that full thing either.

  62. Sorry to hear that, David. However, I don’t think you’ll be homeless for long. You’ve got lots of good mates to help you out. If you were in Sydney, I’d be one of them. Just take it easy and enjoy India for the time being.

    Backup plan is crucial. In theory, we should 3 backups of everything and one is off site. Mind you, I don’t have enough resource to do that full thing either.

  63. Sorry to hear that, David. However, I don’t think you’ll be homeless for long. You’ve got lots of good mates to help you out. If you were in Sydney, I’d be one of them. Just take it easy and enjoy India for the time being.

    Backup plan is crucial. In theory, we should 3 backups of everything and one is off site. Mind you, I don’t have enough resource to do that full thing either.

  64. Sorry to hear that, David. However, I don’t think you’ll be homeless for long. You’ve got lots of good mates to help you out. If you were in Sydney, I’d be one of them. Just take it easy and enjoy India for the time being.

    Backup plan is crucial. In theory, we should 3 backups of everything and one is off site. Mind you, I don’t have enough resource to do that full thing either.

  65. David,

    I’ll gladly offer up my sofa in our little house in a quaint Boston suburb, but I believe your brother lives not too far away and probably has more room for you. But my wife is an *amazing* cook, so factor that in!

    Asher

  66. David
    So sorry to hear the news. From the responses, you don’t seem to have any shortage of friends or places to stay though. But it is is so sad for everyone to be displaced. It seems like I remember your doing images of the building and planning maybe to make a documentary of the community there. Such a loss. But as in so many tragedies, so heartening to see people’s responses and their desire to help. Even if the most terrible thing (aside from loss of life) had happened and all had been destroyed, your images have already touched so many and hold a place in the record of our times. Hope you can enjoy your workshop in India and that the emotions can somehow work for the good in your photography. When my sister died, I think the pain came out in my photography. Rosemary

  67. You sound really grounded right now, despite it all, which is good. . .good things to come in that space of uncertainty.

    I read somewhere one’s ship comes in over a calm sea. . .
    dj

  68. David you’re always welcome in my house in…Portugal.

    Anyway the most important stuff and lives are safe and that’s a relief!

    Hope you’re friends can arrange all so when you return you can laugh about it.

    Hang in there. You’ll never be homeless in any part of the world.

  69. Holy shit David- if you need a place to crash when you get back to the City I’ve got a leather couch in NoLita with your name on it. A bit cozy in my junior 1 br. but it’s yours if you need it. Lemme know-

    Cheers,
    Tom

  70. Rural Washington, snow geese, trumpter swans,incredible country. Fast internet,Macs and great view, surrounded by beauty. Our son and Chiara got displaced too.
    It has to be a great feeling to see the list above!

    Thanks for the image of us and take us up on the offer anytime.

    Gary

  71. Maybe we should photograph our accommodations and submit them to you so you can select your favorites and feature the “winner” on the new site? :))

    Instead of a stipend we get David as a houseguest. :))

    This has the makings of a reality show!

  72. David,
    We met many years ago at ICP. I started the Digital Media Lab there in 1996 and teach there. If you need a place in the city still, I have a comfy sofabed at my place near Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. Easy access to the city on the Q at 7th Ave. I have cats, so if you do not mind that, you are welcome to crash at my place.
    Shauna Church
    shauna@shaunachurch.com

  73. hi david!
    wow… that’s a pretty crazy story… i’m sorry to hear that you’re going through that! i know i haven’t been in touch much lately but i do check in once in a while… and although you’ve had many offers, i’ll of course extend mine as well now that i have a spare bedroom – if you’re wanting to come north to montreal…! i wish you the best of luck!
    hugs
    anouk

  74. CATHY, THAT’S THE COOLEST THING I’VE HEARD TODAY…
    let’s hear it some more…once again , i mean:

    “…Maybe we should photograph our accommodations and submit them to you so you can select your favorites and feature the “winner” on the new site? :))

    Instead of a stipend we get David as a houseguest. :))

    This has the makings of a reality show!..

    Posted by: cathy scholl | January 22, 2008 at 10:32 PM..”…

    yes people, that’s the attitude… lighten up…SMILE!!!

    WHATS COOL ,IS THAT THIS COMMUNITY, IS SO STRONG,WAY STRONGER THAN I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT… that… ,this
    “togetherness” should work for the rest of “us” also, not just David…I mean, if any of the rest of us, has any problem… maybe we should all get involved and help…” I have a dream…”

    Thanks Cathy, again..

    MICHAEL RAWCLIFFE SAID:
    “…David, Go-see Panos: break some plates!

    Posted by: Michael Rawcliffe | January 22, 2008 at 05:40 PM…”

    PANOS SAID:”THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT…GOOD SPIRITS”
    peace

  75. @Panos: thanks for remembering that detail ;-)

    Well, in Cardiff I only have a free sofa in a busy living room shared by six people,and a bit of floor that stinks of fixer. So maybe this does not qualify for cathy’s project.

  76. Dear David,

    I am really sorry for all the troubles you and you’re friends have been trough, but it looks like everything is working just fine…

    It seems that all this commotion raised a very good question pointed out by Jerome: How do you cope with uncertainty? Is this is a rather constant element in your life? I get the feeling that this is not the first time you’re dealing with almost loosing something valuable…

    Saludos

    Beatrix

  77. bad story, i’m sorry for your turmoil and stress. glad to know your things are okay and you have so many place to stay all over the world…reading todays blog is like seeing a photographer’s lonely planet guidebook on where to stay in the world, i should probably print it out…

    unfortunate how these things wait until you’re on the other side of the world to come up when you can do little about them. also sounds like some shady things going on with the application for non-commercial living space just being recently submitted as stated in the article.

    i used to live in williamsburg, myself and most of my friends have since left – having either been pushed out of the neighborhood or out of ny all together. so many stories of gas being turned off, electricity disconnected in the winter, front gates padlocked. seems there are very few places left where artists can survive in a community. we move into a neighborhood, fix it up, make it a cool place to be, put in cafes, galleries, book stores, bars and then……. the developers come, start buying up the cool old warehouses, gutting them and turning them into lofts for the likes of robert deniro, and anyone else who can pay $1million for 1000 square feet. they call the neighborhood “artsy” and pretty soon it’s cool for a trader to live in brooklyn. problem is, these places don’t stay “artsy” for long, not after the artists leave – see DUMBO, SOHO, EAST VILLAGE, LES….better yet, see MANHATTAN below 42nd street. pretty soon it’s just a bunch of traders living together and flipping through georgia o’keefe table books at starbucks (no offense to traders or georgia o’keefe…or starbucks).

    my advice to all in the burg is to move out to the morgan stop on the L, or better yet come on out to LA….but stay on the east side…sorry panos.

    good luck with everything david.

    natan

  78. Your next project!

    A variation on Cathy’s suggestion that I had actually thought of before I read her post: David, what a great photo project for you, to take up each and every generous offer of a place to stay here on the forum… and make a picture at each place!

    (Naturally I too echo the commiseration and sympathy of all other bloggers and know what a shock this is… I’ve been homeless myself several times over the years and even now just barely have a roof over my head. But why not try to get creative with the situation???).

    Bon courage, mon ami

    Sidney

  79. Dear David,

    So sorry to hear about this. Glad you, your neighbors and your work is safe.
    Hope you’ll find a solution to all this soon. It must be horrible and sureal to go through this not being in NY yourself.
    If you ever need a place in Antwerp, don’t hesitate to call. Always spare room for you here as well.
    Good luck out there and let us know if there’s anything we can do.

    Wendy

  80. pierre-yves racine

    Now you’re a bit like Koudelka used to be. And so many other photographers who are homeless when away from home. But you were unprepared…

    If you want to discover Brittany, you’ll be very welcome, too !

    But you know that already

    Salut et bon courage !

    Pierre

  81. If you want to crash in Palermo (Sicilia, Italia), you are welcome to come anytime, now or in the future… Im glad that you can see the “good side” of the catastrophe (your friends helping you, all of your (important) stuff is ok, and everyone is safe)…
    “Depois da tempestade vem sempre a bonança” (portuguese saying) ( After a storm comes a calm – not exactly a good translation, since, in english looks a little bit shallow, but is a very positive portuguese saying)

  82. siddhartha hajra

    Dear David,
    I am so sorry to learn about this. I am feeling quite helpless really.
    Just hope things get sorted out fast and easy. Don’t worry, I am sure there are loads of friends out there to help you.
    Few months back a friend of mine was faced with a similar situation due to the the San Diego fire. Thankfully his house did not get affected by the fire,eventually.
    Take care,
    Siddhartha

  83. yes Koudelka; the homeless photographer, the guy who started photographing his boots as a testament to his wandering !! What a brilliant idea boots, meadows,grass,dirt,leaves,snow,rain, and tree trunks.

  84. I can imagine the whole experience is disorienting indeed. Good time to find out that you have friends. Your story makes me think about home, roots and losing roots. Travelling makes the world you’re home in the end anyway, like you say yourself: only care about my “originals”.
    You might consider getting a big fire proof safe big enough to sleep in, the rent might be cheaper too;))

  85. Daniel Legendre

    From Andy Levin

    There is space under the 1-10 here in New Orleans……

    by Andy Levin 23 Jan 2008 | New Orleans,United States |

  86. Paula Cinquetti

    David!
    It was sad what happened to your apartment, but on the other hand, it’s great that you have so many friends around the world!

    Here in Brazil you’ll always have a couch and a nice glass of caipirinha waiting for you!

    Enjoy India and I will contact you soon with some ideas.

    peace,
    Paula

  87. Mr. Harvey,

    This is terrible, indeed! Am so sorry it happened to you…

    This said, I have the entire top floor of a converted warehouse, located in St. George (a seven-minute walk from the ferry terminal), on Staten Island. F.Y.I.: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyewash/1552737611/in/set-72157602386852203/
    Should you still require a temporary place to stay, I would be glad to help.

    For five years, I’ve resided here. We’re a 3 story building, the bottom floor used to be Tattfoo Art Gallery (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/27/realestate/27habi.html). There are three floors in our building, each tenant comprising one floor.

    Now, the second floor is presently empty & the landlord is searching for a good tenant, her preference being to rent to artists. The second floor is also little more than 3500sf, is divided out into three separate bedrooms/work areas, with other divided spaces which could be used for an office/work area (the rent unbelievably affordable).

    This could be a great space for your needs, as it is a legal loft, with good light & indeed used to be a furniture restoration work/live space.

    Think about it. Send me an email if you’re interested & I’ll be happy to give you more information & also to help you in any way possible.

    Alane Golden

  88. David

    I’ve had a similar situation years ago where I get a phone call my first was was “checking out” after a long illness. It was like a panic hit me. Never knew how Quantas Airlines got wind of the situation but they gave me a whole row to myself for privacy on the airplane to get home. Everything will work out.

    I don’t think there is a person that knows you David that would not lend a hand including myself.

    Best wishes
    Paul

    Wilderville, Oregon (750 miles north of Los Angeles)

    PS. I’ve forwared this on to McCurry

  89. SYDNEY – I, too, thought that would be a fun project.

    PIERRE – Would you mind sending me your email address?
    michael@photonphotos.com

    ALL – For all you cross country travelers who need a place to sleep in the middle of the US, I’m in the southeastern corner of South Dakota (at least for awhile longer) and have comfortable couches and floor space.

    DAVID – geez, that second floor loft sounds great. My advice is to take it. (Free advice, however, is worth?)

    Ciao,

    Michael

  90. Joni,

    I think your situation would totally qualify for submission. In fact it might be one of the better ones photo wise right along with the hammock and blow up mattress options. :))

    As far as an actual place to live it doesn’t look like David will have any problem. Now we just need to hear how he’s doing in India.

  91. What a crazy story.

    The irony of it all. Some of the photographers who either currently lived there or previously lived there have spent most of their careers photographing people being uprooted from their homes!

    I’m sure someone will take care of your negatives/originals etc.

    I have been speedily evicted once in my life but that was during college days and it was the morning after the mother of all parties. The house got trashed. The landlord ousted me on the spot. Everything I had was hastily thrown into my dilapidated car. The next best thing to do is go and get drunk. Look on the bright side. At least the building did not burn to the ground!

  92. cristina faramo

    Hi David, I’m sorry about you
    sicily is waiting you…
    you are welcome in a sofà just in front of the sea…in my house!

    shanti
    cristina

  93. David: you can stay at my home…but it may be a little to distant just about from anywhere, since I live in Chile.
    My offer is for everyone in this blog who happens to travel in the near future to this remote country.

    Jorge

  94. You know you are having an unusual day when you can say “Thankfully the grain elevators in the illegal matzoh factory in my basement didn’t explode.”

  95. MICHAEL A SHAPIRO, SAID:

    “…ALL – For all you cross country travelers who need a place to sleep in the middle of the US, I’m in the southeastern corner of South Dakota (at least for awhile longer) and have comfortable couches and floor space…”

    JORGE PRAT, SAID:
    “…My offer is for everyone in this blog who happens to travel in the near future to this remote country…”

    panos says:

    BRAVO,BRAVO,BRAVO & BRAVO…
    This is the spirit we all talking about…This is what DAH created…
    I’m gonna follow Cathy’s suggestion…and i will post photos from my place,soon…also photos from “DAH” room…soon…
    if i ever get of this F*****g freeway…
    keep it up everybody… Life is not always that easy…actually sometimes it sucks…
    but we are doing a good job here in this post…by warming the atmosphere up… good job everybody… i feel proud today… i dont evev feel like talking photography today…
    o.k., i hear you… i should shut up , leave the cradle, and go out shoot some pics..
    peace again,everybody…or should i say ya’ll????

    Jorge

    Posted by: Jorge Prat | January 23, 2008 at 04:30 PM

  96. wow..Sicily…that sounds cool.
    a truly international community.
    unfortunatly I dont have a sofa, and I was thinking about getting rid of my TV chairs, I don’t like sofas or beds or big chairs. but I do have a sweet place, although its on crack alley, skidrow, downtown Los Angeles.
    but…Sicily…David.
    its amazing, what a cool community this is.

  97. Jorge Prat Altuzarra

    Panos: no need to excuse. I just tought that, since there is a big community of practice here around photography, and every one seems so honest, with so much energy, and willing to help each other in order to become better photographers, sounds natural to keep helping each other in real life. Many of us actually don’t have enough funds to travel for self assingments photo projects outside our countrys, and so it’ll be nice to know that there is a sofa waiting for you out there, and better than that, a partner with hom you can share the same passion.

    So if someone here is enough mad to go to Chile, he can crash at my home (I have a beatifull wife and…3 children, but still a sofa+Mac+darkroom+local wine+rum+small photo library+and many friend to hang up with).

  98. JORGE, I really think that offering your wife is a bit more than is expected by most travelers.

    ALL – I certainly agree with Panos which is why I posted the offer in the first place. I have increasing respect and appreciation for “community,” especially in this age of world estrangement. Regarding photography, having a place to crash also helps with access.

    Regarding access, at least mildly regarding it, I would like to do a project on “artist families” like Miller and Lucinda Williams, Bucky and John Pizzareli, the Marsalises, etc. If anybody knows of someone fitting into this category in your area, I’d appreciate the help.

    You can email me at michael@photonphotos.com.

    SHOW: me, solo at a beautiful gallery in the booming metropolis of Beresford, SD on February 16 starting at 7:00. Truly, the gallery is beautiful, but the town is not really a metropolis. Hell,this whole state has somewhere between 500 and 750 thousand people.

    DAVID- are you there?

    WEATHER – I left my favorite coffee shop about 15 miles away; it was -2 degrees; halfway home, it was -10, and here it was back up to -3. The hot water radiator heat, though does a great job and the house is warm. Took a lot of pictures of snow blowing across the roads this afternoon – 28mm/M8/ f16/ 250 to 500/ 70mph.

    Ciao,

    Michael

  99. I can’t believe it…….
    Reminds me of a line from a song:
    “Homesick. Because I no longer know where home is.”
    I hope everything works out for David and the multitude of artists who used to call the Kibbutz their home.

  100. It’s no fun being homeless, especially in the winter.

    You could do a photostory about your possible adventures in couch-hopping.

    That could be fun.

  101. David.. that sucks. Hope it turns out ok in the end.

    ..if you want an escape in the redwoods that’s 10 minutes north of San Francisco, my studio is available.

    -J

  102. I would take that one spot in Britanny. Lovely place. I went for le festival des vieilles charrues there and it was awesome. There’s this cafe called l’orient express and everybody there is a proper character. Just lovely.

  103. I’m watching the “CLIPPERS”… posting boring stuff on the web,
    and a friend,or two.. are “out there”…in some “holly lands”… like India, or this or that…
    I’m happy for you David…
    Honestly this blog started feeling like a “Buddhist” temple to me…
    I love “Buddha”… everyday i “fight” with “Buddha” … as Nikos Kazantzakis once said…
    I feel like a disciple of some kind of religion….

    …but as Joni Karanka said back in the day…: “Time for a VALLIUM”

    anyways…
    Michael A Shapiro … what..? do you mean by those numbers???? – 28mm/M8/ f16/ 250 to 500/ 70mph.

    I’m checking your work right now… REALLY IMPRESSIVE!

    Part of me wants to destroy the “religion”… the “institution”…
    but i love this blog… I LOVE THE PEOPLE IN THIS BLOG…

    ALL
    what do you think? Should we destroy this blog and turn upside down… or should we nurture it and spoil it until it becomes overweight and constipated…?
    or?????… none of the above????

  104. M.Shapiro… just kidding… i know what an M8 is, but…
    i really like your work.. or should i say: TONS OF WORK”…

    All right now…PEACE FOR NOW’ YA’LL

    I’m going back to WAR!

  105. Dear David moving home can be an unsettling experience at the best of times but to find out like this is very unfortunate. It would seem from the posts here that you have created a great community, who can offer you somewhere to stay in the short term. I am also just moving apartments now in Bangkok, so you are more then welcome to stay whenever you visit Thailand again.

  106. Michael: of course I’m not offering my wife! I just like to tell the world that for me she is beautifull.

    Mark: Nice to know you where here. Pretty bad we did’nt meet. Are you coming again? Can you load your pics and send me the link?

    Jorge

  107. david alan harvey

    DEAR ALL….

    i cannot tell you how touched i am by all of your kind words…it is quite overwhelming for me…our little online community is in fact a real community… as you obviously know, the “blood” of family/community runs hot in my veins….my loss of community in the “kibbutz” building which i loved so much, is matched by an equal or greater gain of community right here….and nobody can kick us out!!

    i will be a bit less responsive for a few more days on this forum, not because of my apartment loss, but just because i have a very slow internet connect here in India….i plan to maintain everything right here as per usual…and “usual” is always sporadic just because of my travels etc..of course, i will have a whole lot of soul searching and re-organizing to do…but, i have gone through things like this many times in my life and these “shifts” do lead to other very very interesting “new horizons”…i was once before homeless for a whole year..i just stayed on assignments to survive and i may do some version of that this time around too… i will now be “on the road” for most of the next two or three months anyway….

    i am in very good spirits….you have helped make it so….i mean that from the bottom of my heart…

    just do not be surprised if i actually show up at your front door!! do not worry…..i wash dishes, sweep floors, take out the trash (not such a great cook) and can help paint the front porch….

    as i used to tell all of you, you were always invited into my home….the last invitation had you coming to my new york loft…some of you actually made it….the next time could have you coming to a log cabin in the woods….who knows?? but wherever “home” is, i am sure we will have one flat out rocking good time!!! i look forward to it…

    again, many many thanks to all…..

    fondly and cheers, david

  108. David, another incentive for coming to the Boston area (other than the Bosox, the Patriots and the Celtics) is a new, low cost artist studio/colony:

    http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/archive/x1199525539

    and in case I didn’t mention it before, my wife is an *amazing* cook. Plus, I promise not to ply you with more than 10 (well maybe 20) questions each day, at most- I swear! Well, maybe 30, but that’s all.

  109. DAVID,

    good to see you are of cheer..I was thinking, if I were you, I’d shack up with Larry and the Emu for a spell..and document the man himself around the farm. (something I’d like to do..)

  110. If you need a place in Chicago, I have a sofa-bed!! So sorry to here about your tragedy, but thank God your negatives are safe! My prayers are with you, and I am sure you will have a home in no time.

  111. Late to the party I guess, but there is a room here in the heart of fair Edinburgh (have you been to Scotland?), just drop me an email and I’ll roll out the matress and buy some more single malt. You would’nt be the first photographer earning their stay with the trash and dishes ;-)

    Hope you have nothing but good experiences as a photo-gypsy man of the world type! Its going to be an adventure, right?

    Good luck wrapping up India workshop.

    Cheers

  112. NEIL…
    you live in my favorite city in this universe…
    I’m f*****g greek, I thought I’ve seen it all but
    Edinburgh ??? Yeah man… Very inspiring …
    I also feel the same about Barcelona and
    of course my super favorite PRAGUE…
    no worries I’m not gonna visit anytime soon…
    I stayed in Sterling for two months (10 years ago),
    actually it was “Bridge of Alan”… if I remember well…
    slept on the floor on a photogs little appartment…
    ahhh.. Edinburgh around august…
    the artist’s paradise.. When I visited it was the
    “trainspotting” years… If you know what I mean…
    I tried to ” score” as lou reed would say but I didnt have
    any luck… Thank god!
    peace everybody

  113. David,

    Just catching up now after a few days off line…

    I am very sorry to hear about your home, but glad everyone is safe and your images/negative taken care of. I can only imaging what it means to not having a home anymore…

    Anyway, I don’t know whether LA would make a good base for you but if you need a place to stay in southern California my home is open any time.

    Best!

    Giancarlo

  114. EVERYONE – What about a group (community) project on communities?

    Because of this forum, I’ve begun to see my cafe series as simply a small part of a project on communities. What others are there?
    Are they based on proximity, activity, beliefs, ethnicity, gender, purpose…?

    Gotta run
    Michedl

  115. Neil,
    hows life in Scotland, I was not aware of your location. I was born in Glasgow, we moved to Kirkliston when I was 14, my dad was a prof at Herriot-Watt, retired now, and all my family is there except me.
    well, I just wanted to say hi, from a Scotsman along way from home.

    Panos
    thats awesome that you were over there, sounds like you were at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

    the D.A.H. blog reaches far and wide

  116. Couple more things
    Neil, I was just looking at your site, and for no reason had a look at Awhissel, then to her pics of you with a colorful cup, one she labled chimping? I have an old freind in Edinburgh called Chimp, (David R), we gave him that name coz he looked and sk8’d like a little monkey, he was bummed on us for a long time, in a brotherly sort of way, until he realised the benefits of such a name.
    and also, I see your into mountain bikes, thats cool, I just built my 1st fixed gear, a conversion, 60’s Brittish Falcon, w/ a bunch of techy parts…love it.
    anyway, I would’nt be surprised if we know the same folks. well I actually would, but its a small world.

  117. Dear David,

    I am very sorry to hear about your home. I can only imagine how you might be feeling. I am from Mumbai, India. If you need any kind of help while you are out here please do let me know.

    Take care.

  118. David,

    Theres a spare inflatable bed in Acapulco for the next 2 weeks if you need……after that moving to Merida. Beats freezing your nuts off in NY!

  119. Oh wow, that must be an awful feeling especially since you are so far away from home. I guess being organized with your negatives and disk drives is a must in case anything occurs and letting people know where it is. My prayers are with you David.

  120. this blog entry could be called “United soul”, no?

    Let’s see where the Soul could unite as of now, meaning where David has place to stay, a stove to warm his feet by, a dog to walk after Bfast, and if I understand, even a woman in his bed, though not everywhere….

    :-)))

    NORTH AMERICA:

    Michigan
    East Harlem
    Austin
    New York
    Southern Spain
    Inwood (upper Manhattan)
    Stamford/Greenwhich
    Santa Fe (not before May)
    Cincinnati
    Oakland, CA
    San Francisco (a few)
    South dakota
    Washington DC
    Maine
    Hartford (CT)
    Brooklyn (a few)
    St louis
    Outer banks (?)
    Park Slope (?)
    L.A. (A few)
    Crowne Heights
    Fredvegas (Va)
    Danbury (CT)
    Northern Woods (west coast?)
    Seattle
    Boston
    Rural Washington (state?)
    Montreal
    New Orleans
    Wilderville (Or)
    Chicago

    SOUTH, CENTRAL AMERICA:

    Brazil
    Chile (a couple)
    Acapulco

    EUROPE:

    Poland
    Dublin
    Germany
    Berlin
    Barcelona (thru Feb.)
    Switzerland
    London
    Portugal
    Ireland
    Cardiff
    Antwerp
    Brittany
    Palermo
    Sicily (maybe Palermo too?)
    Edinburgh

    ASIA:

    Calcutta
    Korea
    Bangkok
    Mumbai

    AFRICA:

    South Africa

    And a few individuals whom I was not able to locate exactly where the offer originated from.

  121. Jorge Prat Altuzarra

    Mark:

    I really liked your pescadores project. Love the light and composition, as well as the story. I was just curious on why you choose Chile for this project.
    Hope you come back!

    regards
    Jorge

  122. nice one Herve, thats quite a list. really I want to extend my hospitality to this community. you just have to bring a bag.
    a sleeping bag, and some good stories.
    My place is really raw, beautiful, but raw. its about as close to urban camping as one can get. but there is a great little drk/rm, sick record collection, and a kettle thats always on the boil. not to mention the cultural aspect of skid row a la Los Angeles.
    so if your in the hood, need a spot for a few and dont mind things a little on the raw side, ( its a real loft situation ), then shoot me an email.
    wrobertangell@gmail.com

    not so sure about posting up #?

    ps, I thought Davids last comment was really touching.
    lots of love to all.

  123. Herve I sent David an email offering my as yet (I have been working on it for 12 years) unfinished house in ‘Man From Snowy River Country’ and Glenn offered the Top End, both places are in Australia. Translated thats Jindabyne and Darwin. And someone offered a place in Sydney.

    David would not only be welcomed but cherished as part of the family if he came to Australia, I know I’d certainly gather the ‘mob’ and have a big, big BBQ in his honor.

    I guess we are just so out of the way, such a backwater in one sense most people, except British backpackers ever want to come and stay here, but once people do, well they never want to leave really.

    I have been homeless all over the place and for long periods of my life I lived out of a suitcase and the only thing that kept me sane was that I could ‘Still Call Australia Home’-Thats a song title BTW.

    Its nice to know David is feeling better ‘cos its always an awful feeling if someone is in amongst your stuff and you don’t know what or where is happening. But then to have a truly Buddhist outlook, which is what I do aspire to, you have to be be a bit unconcerned about those attachments and it does make you happier in the long term.

    Anyway why don’t we chart the places across the globe David would be welcome to stay? I bet south of Jindabyne in the Parish of Ingebyra, New South Wales, Australia would probably be one of the most out of the way places!

  124. @ Jorge
    Thanks for the compliments. I’ve worked and lived and traveled in Chile quite a bit. Hasta traer una Chilena de vuelta como recuerdo! I’m married to a Santiaguina.

  125. David; I’m sorry to hear about your homeless state. It probably won’t be much use to you, but there’s always a room here down under in New Zealand for you!!

    Actually, add me to the spare bed list. If anyone’s down this way and needs a bed get in contact.

    Take care everyone.

  126. how about names to go with these places?

    Err…. No, coz we are… one united soul!

    (It took a while just to write down the city names, Mike. And there are more coming, just now, Oceania finally appeared, with Australia. Crocodile DAHndee?!?!

  127. David,

    I just returned from Kenya to find this blog entry. Man oh man… That is crazy. I am in Toronto now. You do not want to be here. Unless you like the cold. Witch i know you don’t.

    Very sorry to hear what has happened. If you need anything or a place to stay mine is always open to you. If you ever come out this way.

    Take care and be well,

    Mike

  128. WROBERT
    Did you say you from Glasgow? Amazing also… Your architecture…
    To be specific , i was quite amazed when i found out how you guys
    “renew” your buildings from the “inside” without messing too much with the exterior of the building… so people when you visit this city,
    kinda like Edinburgh has an amazing “aura”… You think that you live in a beautiful black and white dream… the sun sets at 10:30 pm at september.. I love it… I was working in a greek “rock’n’roll” magazine back in the time, circa 1993-4-5-6… So for 4 summers in a row i was the photographer to cove the famous “READING FESTIVAL”… about an hour north of London, with the train….(Nirvana,Beck…..Neil Young…blah)…thousands of huge artists… Anyways
    …once, i took the train all the way to Inverness… i went to little town. by the sea :Hellensburg …. oh , i remember a deer crossing the train rails…
    Green, green, clouds, castles….like a dream…

  129. …”The royal mile”… god damn.. now that i’m thinking about it…
    enough greece or sunny, convertible , cali…
    … Scotland….!!! i should go there more often…
    o.k., back in the desert…

    HERVE
    excellent job listing countries and s**t, but i just called my mom & dad..( i cant believe he’s still alive!)…
    lets add an extra room…..

    this time comes from ARTA, GREECE, west side , across the adriatic see, in other words across ITALY, 360 km from athens,
    12km from the sea…. 60km from my granmas house up in the mountains… always snow there…
    something like a L.A… from Big-Bears snow.. to venice beach…
    My hometown… Arta…
    To give you an idea, and connect my speech with the previous posts, the center of the city is surrounded by a medieval CASTLE…
    my elementary school, by the way, was located at the X- Prisons…(what a coincidence)… prisons of the castle…
    o.k ,enough

  130. Panos
    Helensburgh, god damn…I havent heard that place by name since I was a kid, I think we used to have some familly freinds there or something, its pretty foggy, those times.
    also Inverness, I have great memories from that area, used to go hiking and camping around there, Glen Urquhart Castle, really beautiful up around loch Ness, plus you might have a chance for a natter with the monster.

  131. … “Nessie”…I bought a little keychain…. I had it attached to my home keys… since then……
    1995… i lost the keys about a year ago…. believe it or not…
    I cried… not for the keys though… ah f**k it !
    I was thinking that’s it’s good to be young….
    when you are older you feel, remember small meaningless parts of time… called memories.. and sigh !… how sad and so common…

    If my memory serves me well, somewhere by the end of the “royal mile” in Edinburgh… is “WHISKEY MUSEUM OR SOME SHIT LIKE THAT”… that you can purchase a $100 “shot” of rare… really really rare expensive… family holy whiskey..
    anyways, I’m going to my fix one for me now… see ya’ll soon
    peace

  132. Its nice to see Scotland is as evocative as ever! I can’t claim to be a Scotsman (never mind a Weegie, Hi Robert!) but its a sweet wee country. Trainspotting was bizarrely filmed in Edinburgh and Glasgow interchangably like they were one big city. Apparently the original US version was redubbed for the first 20 mins due to accents. I met a photog who compared the US/Scot language barrier to that of going to Italy.

    The Edinburgh festival is worth seeing at least once, bring a sense of adventure or a big wallet. I brought the both and came out with a girlfriend, an empty wallet and a first “good” camera. Anything can happen (and usually does)!

    Chimping? I think its to do with the position at which you check your cameras LCD to see if you got the shot, or the ooo oooo oooh noise you make when you get it. Someday I wanna ride a fixie just to see what the fuss is about, my friends singlespeed conversion keeps breaking and he had to run 4/5 laps at a race this weekend so I’m not anxious to make one yet.

    In London I order a zywiec beer with the correct pronounciation and they look at me strange, in Inverness they know thanks to the thousands of Poles living up there now. The world quickly changes in unusual ways!

    Hehehe…the tourist trap of charge more for the whiskey and they’ll think its exclusive or better! I hope you tried one of the ones from Islay, they know what they’re doing out there. For heavens sake though.. no koolaid chaser!

    There will be drams tonight (it is friday), perhaps one for the homeless photographer and his blogmates: Slainte!

  133. Oh and its BURNS night tonight, get yer Haggis, Neeps & Tatties on!

    Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
    Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race!
    Aboon them a’ yet tak your place,
    Painch, tripe, or thairm:
    Weel are ye wordy o’a grace
    As lang’s my arm.

    Ye Pow’rs, wha mak mankind your care,
    And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
    Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
    That jaups in luggies;
    But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer
    Gie her a haggis!

    Extracted from Address to a Haggis by Rabbie Burns (not to be confused with Rabbi Burns)

  134. Mark: that’s very nice to know. I can see you have a second country. Drop me a mail next time you come to Santiago. I know a bunch of photographers here to hang up with. One of them also owns a small photo gallery where you could show yor pescadores work (now that would be really nice!). It´s a very cool place actually.
    Here is my mail: jprat@achs.cl

    regards
    Jorge

  135. Hi David,

    Why don’t to come to visit Bermuda Bermuda for few weeks and stay at our place. Plane ticket is cheap and you will have your bedroom and bathroom. We will be delighted to have you with us….and you have never been to Bermuda: it may be time to change that.

    Please let me know if I can help in any way.

    Arie

  136. Lisa Hogben

    From a previous post of yours I somehow got the unpardonable impression that you might be a Pom, but now I see how wrong I was! I have actually been thru Jindabyne, back in the mid 90’s, and remember it. Wonderful part of Oz you live in, and one that would confound the image most outsiders hold of Australia. I hope David takes up your offer!

    I’ve been on four extended visits to Eastern Oz, all back in the 90s. The areas I know best are ‘Rainbow Country’ and around Brisbane, ‘New England’ and the northern NSW Coast, and Tazzy. Almost decided to settle in Rainbow Country (Murwillimbah-Nimbin area) but life took a different turn… Anyway, many fond memories of NSW, a place I never got enough of. Enjoy your life there, as my surrogate!

    Regards,

    Sidney

  137. ALL/ANYONE – for a total (temporary) change of topic, if anyone is good at FLASH/Java/etc. I need to make some changes to my site. I want to make the little slideshow on the homepage continue where it leaves off or at least be random instead of sequential.

    Sorry for the less-than-high-minded topic, but I figured there might be at least one or two experts out there.

    If any such person reads this, you can email me at
    michael@photonphotos.com

  138. Sidney My God you know my country?

    Hey very appropriate timing- today is Australia Day- or Survival Day if you happen to be one of the Aboriginal people of this land!

    No, lovely, I am absolutely an Aussie chick! Couldn’t be a Pom if I tried! But you know Jindy?

    Its cold and mystic and I don’t know-important somehow in the greater scheme of things and when it has a building complete on the land (which I hope after 12 years will be in the next 6 months!) EVERYONE across the world has squatting rights- thats what it has ALWAYS been about, land houses never belong to anyone, we are just custodians.

    Kinda like what we are meant to be about when we take photos to tell someone’s story- We are just the mouthpieces for those people whose story we tell- it is a great responsibility to tell the thing accurately and a humbling experience to actually understand and express it with love.

    Sidney, Thankyou for acknowledging my country, my special place on earth, I may not always dwell there and really I will never own it, but it is so surely beautiful, so remote, pristine, so free of vices that anyone that needs a cure for the terrible things of life are welcomed to spend time looking at a long view to quiet their soul!

    My place is your place, just give me a ring first to make sure the roof is on!

    Love youse all!

  139. Just received this:

    Hello Creative New York!

    THIS –> http://gothamist.com/2008/01/21/kent.php sucks.

    3rd Ward is here to help.

    We are opening our doors to all tenants forced to vacate their building at 475 Kent Street.

    Lost your studio space?
    You are welcome to come use ours. We have a media lab, wood shop, metal shop & photo studio available free of charge, just contact us & let us know your situation.

    Feeling homeless?
    We don’t have luxury accommodations, but we do have space. You’re welcome to stake out a prime piece of East Williamsburg floor space in our gallery. First, contact us by phone or email. Then, grab a sleeping bag & come on down.

    We’re open from 8 am to midnight M – F and 9 am to Midnight on weekends. Give us a call at 718.715.4961 or shoot us an email to afenton@3rdward.com.

    Now is the time to pull together as a community. Let’s make sure no one’s left out in the cold!

    Please pass this on.

    Love,

    3rd Ward

  140. http://gothamist.com/2008/01/21/kent.php

    Feeling homeless?

    Posted by: erica mcdonald | January 25, 2008 at 09:15 PM

    Damn… now i feel depressed… my friday night is all messed up now

    …We don’t have luxury accommodations, but we do have space. You’re welcome to stake out a prime piece of East Williamsburg floor space in our gallery. First, contact us by phone or email. Then, grab a sleeping bag & come on down.

    We’re open from 8 am to midnight M – F and 9 am to Midnight on weekends. Give us a call at 718.715.4961 or shoot us an email to afenton@3rdward.com.

    Now is the time to pull together as a community. Let’s make sure no one’s left out in the cold!

    Please pass this on.

    Love,

    3rd Ward…

    panos says: …” Te hell widat ?”….

    ..what, “left out”?…. what…” out in the cold” , mean?

    by the way… i read that the rent was around 2K?
    Is that for real… is was it , double?
    But , i hear YOU:..”WHO CARES?..”
    the facts remain the SAME…
    Still David is homeless… or should i say …” temporarily without a home”… which is just a “misdemeanor”.. not a ” felony”…
    Let me know…?

    p.s.: In the meantime.. “HE”, is having fun somewhere in holy ” INDIA”, and WE are still here , running our miserable , ordinary lives…

    I love you Harvey…

  141. Hi David, I am sorry to hear about the news.. but it’s great to hear that no one’s actually injured, even your negative films! You are always free to stay at my house in Seoul.. and hope to see you in New York very soon.

    nasha

  142. DAVID:

    last night i had a dream about u: i dreamed you will let back into the Kibbutz, that there were changes but all was well and that you were no longer homeless…that we chatted on the phone and all..when i woke up i thought it was real so i checked my email to see if u’d written…

    i hope the dream is prescient ;))…

    running
    b

  143. I love you Harvey…
    …..

    Gee. Thanks, Panos. I dunno what to say, except…just a detail… it’s: Herve, not Harvey.

    Thanks for the cozy, fuzzy, warmy feelings, from the bottom of my heart.

  144. Homeless! Yikes, what a pain in the bahakas. Well, it would be nice to have you as an actual guest in my guest room, as opposed to my brother, who is really a temporary guest in my house, even though he thinks otherwise. Unfortunately, Mr Harvey, I can’t offer you the guest room until he moves out, and equally unfortunately, he shows no signs of doing that in the immediate future. My apologies on being the one sour note in this otherwise magnificent symphony of fraternal benevolence and good feeling.

  145. wow… So sorry to know about this, David…. I’m late with the news as I’ve been having such a slow and bad conection to internet in Senegal, but, even without reading all the above comments, I’m sure by now you have place to stay all over the world. But you always had them. The same with my own. My house is your house. Always.
    Hope you resolve the situation soon. Big hugs!

    Ana

  146. No, I dont have anything to add to the conversation here; it’s just that this thread has been stuck at 169 for I dont know how long and I’m getting tired of waiting for 170 to show up. So, like the young man who tires of waiting for his inheritance to occur naturally, I’m giving this aged thread a little push.

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