50 Couches in 50 Nights

My name is Dean MacKay. In June and July of 2010, I slept on 50 different couches in 50 consecutive nights. I took photographs of the couches, both as a couch and as my bed. I took portraits of my hosts and interviewed them. I documented their homes on film and digitally as well as in a journal. I was treated to home cooked meals and intimate secrets. I was cared for when I was ill and checked in on after I was long gone. There were sleepless nights and busy days and times spent discussing the past and dreaming about the future. I drank a lot of coffee at a lot of different coffee houses. There were old friends who became closer and acquaintances who I now call my friends. There were even strangers who invited me into their homes. Threads were woven among them all. My skills were honed as I practiced my craft on a daily basis. I learned many things about my hosts and I continue to learn many things about myself. These times are unforgettable. This journey was initially born out of necessity. The economic times had taken their toll. But the fruit of this labor is not simply financial. It is emotional and spiritual and societal. I tapped into something that is still developing. And as it develops I will share with you this knowledge as well as providing you a way to share it with others. I hope that you will support me as this journey continue and grows. I plan to unveil many things from this work including a coffee table book on the couches, and perhaps other books and a documentary. I'm also hoping to get the blog carried on a major website. Of course, and second project is also in the works although what form it will take has yet to be determined. Any assistance or advice that you can offer to further these projects is welcome. Your support, both financial and emotional, is crucial to my success. Thank You. © Dean MacKay 2010

50 Couches in 50 Nights has written 48 posts for 50 Couches in 50 Nights

Couch #9 – Genevieve – June 8th, 2010

Posted by 50 Couches in 50 Nights ⋅ June 19, 2010 ⋅ Leave a comment

Couch #9 belongs to Genevieve. When she moved into her place, she had a bed, chair, desk, and a computer, a stereo and a bunch of CDs. Genevieve knew she wanted a leather couch and found it on craigslist for $150. She is very happy with her purchase. She isn’t very tall, and so it’s comfortable for her to sleep on. Genevieve lives in a studio in an apartment building on the border of Koreatown. She is an actor and pick whatever other work comes her way. She has a 17 year old son who lives in Florida with her Mom, who is his legal guardian. She likes to read, write, fool around with her guitar, practice her piano, hang out with friends, go out drinking and get rowdy, go hiking and is working on singing too. She talks to herself and has conversations, although she thinks of it more as talking to God and the Universe to help her work things out. We are acquaintances and met on the set of “American Bar”. Our friends wrote it and I was the photographer. That was in 2007. One of her favorite songs is “Breathless” by Nick Cave, although she also likes Cat Power’s version even though it has the opposite feel. She likes the film “Goodfellas” and enjoys any food with pumpkin. Genevieve thinks the whole project is pretty cool and she wanted to be a part of it. She wanted to open her doors and share her space with me. She feels as if I am performing for 50 days. That I always have to be on. That I am putting myself outside of my comfort zone. She believe that change is always good. She is right on all counts.

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50 Couches in 50 Nights

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