HENRI KISIELEWSKI IS A FRENCH-BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHER BASED IN LONDON. 

HIS LATEST PROJECT FOCUSES ON “AG-LOE,” A LOCAL LITTLE TOWN THAT WAS COMPLETELY IMAGINARY, THEN IT WAS KIND OF REAL, AND NOW IT IS GONE AGAIN. 
IT WAS LOCATED JUST PAST ROSCOE NEW YORK, JUST OVER THE BORDER BETWEEN SULLIVAN AND DELAWARE COUNTIES.

YOU SEE…“AG-LOE,”--- SPELLED “A-G-L-O-E” —STARTED OFF AS A FICTITIOUS DOT ON A MAP. IT WAS PUT THERE BY MAPMAKERS OTTO G. LINDBERG AND ERNEST ALPERS IN THE 1930S, WHO REARRANGED THEIR INITIALS TO MAKE THE NAME “AGLOE.” 

IT WAS AN ANTI-PIRACY MEASURE TO PREVENT OTHER MAP COMPANIES FORM COPYING THEIR ROAD MAP OF NEW YORK.

SUCH MADE-UP TOWNS ON OLD MAPS ARE KNOWN AS “MAP TRAPS,” OR “PAPER TOWNS.” 

 AG-LOE IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS EXAMPLES. THE 2008 JOHN GREEN NOVEL “PAPER TOWNS” THAT WAS TURNED INTO A 2015 MOVIE FEATURES A CHARACTER WHO HEADS OUT IN SEARCH OF AG-LOE.

 PHOTOGRAPHER HENRI KISILEWSKY HAS CROSSED THE ATLANTIC TO VISIT AG-LOE AS A WAY TO EXPLORE REALITY AND UNREALITY IN AMERICA.

JASON DOLE SPOKE TO HIM ON SATURDAY HERE AT OUR LIBERTY STUDIOS…