Acdcnyc
Photobook Nemanja Knežević
Acdcnyc
Photobook Nemanja Knežević
2010.
I was in the United States in period between June and October, year 2009. Before that I’ve never been over the ocean, just Europe. I’ve watched America in movies, at least the America represented in them. In my head I had nothing more, just a bunch of prejudiced thoughts. Challenge and desire for new things made me do some serious thinking. Doing so, I decided to fly over the Atlantic ocean. My previous experiences have thought me you couldn’t get accustomed to the surrounding, people and their way of life if you travel as a tourist, so I didn’t want to make it a touristic excursion. This time I wanted to go away for a little longer, for a whole summer; to try, see and feel for a certain time how it'd be to swim in the waters of American life. Student program made it possible for me to get my visa easier than it was customery. Arrangements for my job were agreed on in advance over the internet and I had a guaranteed position at a casino in Atlantic City. There wasn’t time for the initial fascination with Big Apple, route from the airport lead directly through the dense net of New York subway to the bus station. And then, the final destination – Atlantic City. All I knew about this city was that it was some kind of east coast version of Las Vegas. First night was like in a flick. After arrival and wandering at midnight through the streets we decided to put ourselves out of our misery and find a place to spend a night. 15-minute cab ride outside the city, highway, and a one-story hostel waited for us in eerie silence. Of course, with a gas station nearby. Scenario seen a thousand times: two beds, one of them evidently used, yellowish walls, air conditioning from the 80s, window out of function, shower as well. A wake-up welcoming in the middle of the night. Sleep now and get the hell out in the morning. Everything after that was about getting used to modus vivendi in an average American city. Ocean, beach, casinos, tourists, fast food restaurants. Work: 8 hours a day, 5 days in a week, 7 dollars per hour. Working in a 50-story hotel/casino along with another 5000 employees. A Jitney to work, 2.5 dollars per single ticket, 5 dollars a day for transport. Accomodation in a room in a typical American house, 55 yards from the ocean, 75 dollars a week. A total change of perception of life and struggle in one. A change that takes over at once, governed by circumstances. Lack of time, awaiting for a day off so you can go to New York and see more. The bus, 2.5 hour ride, 35 dollars return ticket. Two days of New York and gathering energy for the next week. And in rounds we go. Finally ending my working time, New York came and 20 days of living there as well; getting to know the big city in a spontaneous and natural way; and, of course, draining and then accumulating inspirations from so many small and big things this city offers. Priceless experience.
July’09 Atlantic City / NJ
September’09 Brooklyn / New York City / NY September’09 Atlantic City / NJ
August’09 New York City / NY September’09 New York City / NY
July’09 Atlantic City / NJ August’09 Atlantic City / NJ
July’09 Atlantic City / NJ September’09 Brooklyn / New York City / NY
July’09 Atlantic City / NJ August’09 New York City / NY
August’09 New York City / NY July’09 Atlantic City / NJ
August’09 New York City /NY August’09 Atlantic City / NJ
August’09 New York City / NY September’09 Brooklyn / New York City / NY
September’09 Washington / DC September’09 Brooklyn / New York City / NY
September’09 Washington / DC August’09 Atlantic City / NJ
August’09 Atlantic City / NJ September’09 New York City / NY
August’09 Brooklyn / New York City / NY July’09 Atlantic City / NJ
August’09 Atlantic City / NJ August’09 Atlantic City / NJ September’09 Brooklyn / New York City / NY ►
Stay out super late tonight picking apples, making pies, put a little something in our lemonade and take it with us. We’re half-awake in a fake empire. Matt Berninger / The National
Acdcnyc
Photobook Nemanja Knežević
36 pages / Softcover / 15 x 21 cm / Black and White inkjet print Homemade, Hand-numbered and limited to 50 copies Printed in Belgrade, Serbia April 2010.
Photos Nemanja Knežević nemanjaknezevic.com Design Stefan Unković stefanunkovic.com Published by SuperSizeShe supersizeshe.com
*Thanks to my family and friends