NO FACE NO CA$E: The photo series

NO FACE NO CA$E is part articles (Dope Stories), part photo series exploring the underbelly of some of the cities I’ve lived in or travel to. Raw, Direct, Uncensored, provocative, opinionated, DOPE STORIES is a critic of our system through the lens of the drug trade.

It shows the absurdity and hypocrisy of our modern society by exposing the way it treats its weakest and most vulnerable ones when solutions exist.

TODAY'S MENU

La Busserine / Marseille FRANCE 2020

MARCY

Brooklyn / New York 2016

OCCUPIED

Raval / Barcelona 2017

AFTER

Berghain / Berlin 2016

EASTSIDE

East Village / New York 2014

MISS SITA

109 tattoo shop-El Born / Barcelona 2017

POOLSIDE

Barcelonetta / Barcelona 2018

LAGUNILLA MARKET

Mexic City 2017

PLAYGROUND 1

Raval / Barcelona 2017

WIRED

Brooklyn / New York 2017

PLAYGROUND 2

Beyoglu / Istanbul 2016

(un)ORHTHODOX

Brooklyn / New York 2017

CONTRABAND

Somewhere in Monteverde / Rome 2019

Notes

Urban Guerrilla Marketing Growth. Back in 2018, I spent a year in Rome. Following the US trend of marijuana legalization, as well as the Spanish approach with their private membership clubs, Italy’s decision makers passed early 2018 a law making CBD (the non psycho-active part of the plant unlike THC) “semi-legal”… The whole country went ballistic: shop, retailer, popped u all over town, people invested in shops, land, equipment etc… an industry was born overnight with potentially millions of euros in tax revenue and most importantly, fighting the mafia where it hurts.

A couple of moths down the road, it all turned to shit. Thanks to the same politician who passed the law in the first place, they decided to revise to make nearly impossible for most people to become successful in this new sector, leaving only few big players in charge, what’s left for us, the? Not much if you ask me, at least not the “legal way” My wife and I chose a different path and started to grow our own little plantation (CBD and THC) , right in the center of the Italian capital, hidden in plain sight. Urban guerilla cannabis growth at its finest: by the end of spring, we were scheduling the hourly life of 23 plants (some grew taller than 7 feet) weeks in advance. Outdoor conditions in an urban setting are really challenging and growing marijuana is a real science, an art. but at the end of the day, it was worth the trouble… we spent the following months enjoying our harvest.

ROMANIANS AT WORK (from Episode_3)

Raval / Barcelona 2017

MARCY AVENUE

Brooklyn / New York 2017

STASH HOUSE

Raval / Barlceona 2018

TREES XEMENEIES

Sant Adria de Besos / Barcelona 2016

Notes

Back in 2001 NYE, a rave -one for the book- rage for over 7 days with Traveling Sound Systems (aka “travelers” or “tribes”) from England and France called Desert Storm, Hekate, Sound Conspiracy, OKUPE amongst other. My wife Virginia spent over a week parting with her friend in this one of a kind industrial architecture…“

JESUS SAVES

East Village / New York 2013

DANCE FOR FUTURE

Kreuyberg / Berlin 2017

AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE

Kreuyberg / Berlin 2019

SUBWAY

East Broadway Subway Station / New York 2016

SHARING IS CARING

Some bathroom / Berlin 2019

TRANSACTION

Tor Bela Monaca / Rome 2018

SLEEPING ROUGH

Kreuzberg / Berlin 2020

ART DE RUE

Raval / Barcelona 2017

ANNA

Bathroom / Berlin 2019

TOXICO

Castellan Tramway / Marseille 2019

“Marseille is my hometown, I saw it grow and change throughout the past 4 decade in an amazing metropolis. 2013 with the year when Marseille was the European Capital of Culture = consequences, they pushed out the city center all the homelessness, junkies, prostitute and other hustler making the second largest city of France a raw, authentic, harbor city. 6 years down the road, the drug traffic is making millions per month and the center got back “its charm”. I love Marseille. My upbringing in Marseille in the 90 remains one of my favorite time. I know that the city might seems dangerous and not very welcoming but don’t be a “pussy” and give it a try, you’ll love it. Just don't act like a tourist…“

NOBLE ART

Gleason's Gym, Brooklyn / New York 2015

“This world famous gym where Million Dollar Baby was shot, Mike Tyson and Zab Judah amongst other trained was my first gym when I moved to New York back in 2005. It was a dream come true, after boxing over a decade in Marseille, I discover a new school of boxing, with a very different approach, I only stayed a few months there before moving to Mendez Boxing and Church Street boxing to name a few”

LIFE AND DEATH

Fontanella Cemetery / Naples 2018

Below the buys streets of Naples, there are underground chambers stacked with human skeletons and skulls. After spending few days in Naples for a wedding and meeting with lots of locals from Sanita and other popular neighborhoods, we came to understand the Napolitan obsession for skull iconography. The Fontanella Cemetery became a burial site in 1656 when a plague reduced the population from 400,000 to 150,000. According to tradition, being buried that way unable the should to reach heaven. Eternatlly dislocated from the afterlife, the chambers appear to embody the earthy manifestation of purgatory.

MEMORABLE 1

Ocean Drive , South Beach / Miami Memorial Day Weekend 2016

MEMORABLE 2

Ocean Drive , South Beach / Miami Memorial Day Weekend 2016

BADASS

Kittbusser Tor / Berlin 2020

Meet Deniz, Turkish living in Berlin for the past 2 decades. He used to deal heroin and cocaine out of his apt (few baggies a day) until the cops busted him. He ended up in jail and lost everything: house, wife, income… He now sleeps rough and lives in the street, spending his days around Kotty, hustling to make it to the next day… few days ago he got jumped by 4 people and had to fight to keep his few belongings… his face still carries the marks of the cowardly assault… Cops spend entire days camping outside Kotty ubahn and somehow they are not able (or don’t want) to prevent such crimes… I wonder, what are they doing all day? Parading in their uniform so tourists and hipsters can pass by safely… completely oblivion to the drama unraveling around the corner.”

MEMORABLE 3

Ocean Drive , South Beach / Miami Memorial Day Weekend 2016

KRAMPUS

Prinzenstraße Ubahn / Berlin 2020

Meet Klaus, German living in Berlin for the past 3 decades. He’s been battling addiction as long as he can remember… He showed me his Krampus tattoo: in local folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as “half-goat, half-demon” who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved… I’m not sure how bad Klaus misbehaved but Krampus looks like it’s been quite tough on him.

BERLIN HBAHN

Kottbusser Tor / Berlin 2018