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| Invisible City by Ken Schles Steidl, 2014.  |
"When I was in my teens and early 20s you could find me in New York City's lower east side. I spent as much time as possible at CBGBs, Max's Kansas City and roaming the Bowery and what was poetically labeled Alphabet City. It was weird, it was often scary, but it felt 'normal' to me. Sex, drugs and rock and roll.
In the late 1980s as my photo career took off and I had disposable income, I became a collector of photography and photography books. It was at that time I first saw Ken Schles's book, Invisible City and purchased it right away. It was the first set of photographs I had ever seen that conveyed the look, energy and feeling of my early stomping grounds in the lower east side. It was placed in my collection alongside other classics like The Bikeriders, The Americans and Women are Beautiful. I would often look through the pages and daydream about my days/nights of crashing in old lofts and squats after the clubs closed. For me its the quintessential book of life in 1980s NYC for the kids of my generation. I was a fan of Ken Schles and his photographs without ever having met him.
Fast forward to 2011 to a book signing and party for my own book and who should be in attendance, Ken Schles. We spoke, we hung out, we became friends. I got to meet the author of the photos I so admired and it turns out he's a smart, funny, gracious and interesting guy. Ain't life grand?
Now stop reading this and order the absolutely perfect Steidl reprinting of Invisible City and the new first edition of Night Walk to accompany it. And if you happen to be in NYC go to the Howard Greenberg Gallery and see prints of this landmark work. I'll give you an inside tip, if you wait too long these will be sold out, gone, history...
Don't say I didn't warn you."—David Carol
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David Carol: Here's my deal, I'm a photographer for over 30 years, a book author for around 10 years, a columnist for the last couple of years and collector since I was a little kid. Check out my website if you want even more information about me. www.davidcarol.com