Island

This is my story about the Havenstraat and the Karperweg in Amsterdam, one of the last fringe areas within the city.

I spent two years photographing the area, and the people that worked, lived or practiced their hobbies there. 
And then I made a book about it, called ISLAND.

It was a rough place built up of Quonset huts and shacks. The interesting thing is that it was located within the city, on expensive land.
It was like a tiny island surrounded by city. Places like this are important but don’t stand a chance in cities that are rapidly gentrifying.

There was a thrift store, a clothing outlet, a guy who repaired old military vehicles, a harpsichord builder, a few artists, a bicycle repair shop, a place where
old trams were restored, a beer brewery, a special effects expert, scrap metal recycling, a garage, several hobbyists, some animals, a handful of residents, and more.

They were a group of extraordinary individuals who formed a community because of the place and the situation they were in. 
Here they found a place where they could live, work, and be, in a way that wouldn’t have been possible anywhere else in the city.

The area was shut down on 6 March 2024 and it got a lot of attention. I presented my book, in combination with an exhibition, on 5 April 2024.
There were 160 people present, of which many from the area.

It’s a beautiful memory for the city but it’s more than that: It’s a tribute to places like this, all around the world, that disappeared for the same reasons.

• Name: Island
• Photography: Daniel Nicolas
• Design: -SYB- (www.syb-photobooks.com)
• Printing: Wilco Art Books
• Price: € 65,- incl Btw
• 248 pages/ 115 photos
• Hard Cover, Sewn Swiss Binding
• 240 mm x 300 mm
• ISBN: 9789090381923
• Self published