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Photographer Gabriele Galimberti Couch Surfs Around the World and Takes Portraits of His Hosts

By Ellyn Kail on June 17, 2014

Olena, Kiev, Ukraine

Lamine, Guediawaye, Senegal

With a flourishing network of over 6 million members, CouchSurfing is able to connect world travelers with hosts from around the world. Through this organization, which is active in over 100,000 cities globally, diverse groups of people share experiences and learn from one another in ways previously unimaginable.

By prohibiting the exchange of money between guests and hosts, CouchSurfing aims to foster a community founded on kindness and curiosity. CouchSurfers may live in one another’s homes for long periods of time, or they might choose just to have a single visit over coffee.

Having himself hosted dozens of travelers in his Tuscan home, the Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti catalogs the stories of 100 couchsurfers. His series Couchsurfing captures one-of-a-kind friendships forged across geographical and cultural boundaries, imagining a utopian community where goods and shelter are exchanged freely and generously.

Staying everywhere from five-star hotels to ten square meter room housing three-generation families, Galimberti has couchsurfed in five continents. In his travels, he has forged lifelong bonds with people of varied backgrounds, including nudists from Ukraine, an ex-mormon from Utah, and a sailing biologist in the Norwegian navy.

Galimberti’s book Toy Stories, a collection of images of children from around the globe and their favorite toys, is available now, published by Abrams. His new book In Her Kitchen, published by Clarkson Potter, will be available in November. Galimberti is represented by INSTITUTE.

All images © Gabriele Galimberti/INSTITUTE

Gabriele_Galimberti_20 Tom and Jane, Bangkok, Thailand