Told as much through images as through words, a young Nepalese man's globe-spanning relationship with "the father of American surrealism" changes the course of his life and gives him a new set of roots.

In 1973, poet, photographer, collage artist, and sculptor Charles Henri Ford convinced a young Nepalese waiter at his hotel in Kathmandu to come work as his all-purpose helper. Nineteen-year-old Indra Tamang, who spoke minimal English, was soon enjoying an education and a life he could not have imagined. He quickly graduated from cooking and running errands to attending social engagements with Charles, to accompanying the artist on his international travels, eventually becoming his collaborator, and more of a son than an employee.

Charles was a magnet for creative people, and during the '70s, '80s, and '90s, Indra found himself at the center of seemingly every fantastic little universe in New York, Paris, Crete, and Kathmandu, often as a quiet observer taking photographs and making mental notes. There was Studio 54, Andy Warhol's Factory, the teas that Charles would host at the Dakota, attended by regulars such as Tennessee Williams, Quentin Crisp, Patti Smith, and Henry Geldzahler; there were special dinners at the United Nations; visits to Mary McCarthy and Leonor Fini; and chats in the elevator with neighbors like John and Yoko and Lauren Bacall. Charles gave Indra a second upbringing, one that Indra absorbed with tremendous curiosity and enthusiasm. In turn, Indra brought Charles into his family's village in Nepal, introducing him to a world that not many Westerners were privileged to see, especially then. Indra managed to shuttle between these two vastly different worlds, marrying and having children in Nepal, though not revealing this to Charles for quite some years.

In 2010, Indra Tamang became the object of global fascination after inheriting two apartments from Charles's sister, the actress Ruth Ford. The story in the Wall Street Journal described a Nepalese "butler" who "grew up in a mud hut" and ended up owning property in one of New York's most famous buildings. The attention that followed inspired Indra to write this richer and more accurate account of his life. Illustrated with more than 100 photographs and ephemera from the private collections of Charles and Indra, some never before shown, and gathered together for the first time, readers will discover that nothing about Indra's "curious years" with Charles and his friends was ordinary or predictable in any way.

About the Author

Indra Tamang was born in the Makwanpur District of Southern Nepal in 1953, and first came to New York City in 1974. He is known for his artistic collaborations with Charles Henri Ford, and he became internationally known as "The Butler" who inherited a fortune from Charles Henri's sister, Ruth Ford. Since the passing of Ruth and Charles Henri Ford, he continues to further their legacies, and manages the use of Charles Henri's published work. He has shown his own photography and other artwork at the Mitchell Algus Gallery, the Woolworth Building, and the 292 Gallery in Lower Manhattan. Between 2008 and 2010 he served as elected President of the Tamang Society of America, and remains an active member of the Nepali community in New York.

Romy Ashby is a New York-based writer, lyricist, editor, and interviewer. She's written numerous Blondie songs with Chris Stein and Debbie Harry, and is the editor of the small interview magazine Housedeer as well as author of the blog Walkers in the City.

Reviews
"I loved this book. Indra is so tender with Charles Henri and Ruth and hendrops so many great names."

-Edmund White, writer

"In 1964, I secured a job as secretary and archivist in an artistic menage at the heart of New York's cultural elite. Charles Henri Ford was at the center of this circle. This was a time when all manner of people called to speak or meet with Ruth Ford, her husband, Zachary Scott, or Charles: John and Elaine Steinbeck, Edward James, Andy Warhol, and Lauren Bacall come to mind. It was into this milieu that Indra Tamang was introduced by Charles. Indra was in his own way as remarkable as any of the celebrities he was to mix with. His latent artistic sensitivities were expressed in photography and his engaging personality. Indra is indeed an extraordinary person whose life story is as unlikely as a fairy story and is a parable of abilities and service justly rewarded and well deserved."

-Penelope Davidson, former secretary and archivist to Ruth Ford

"I knew Charles Henri and Indra since the '70s, around the art scene. Indra was adorable and seemed to be very happy all the time. I absolutely adored Charles Henri. I think Indra was both a son and a friend to him, which is unique. They had an intriguing friendship and were two of the nicest, smartest, most sweet-natured people I've ever known. Indra's story is very unusual, a different aspect of the Warhol scene and the art of the period that people have written about and are very curious about, which makes this book invaluable."

-Debbie Harry, Blondie singer, songwriter, and actress

"This is the fascinating story of Indra Tamang's journey from Nepal to the legendary Dakota apartment building in New York. He meets the poet and visual artist Charles Henri Ford in Kathmandu in 1972 and two years later accompanies him to Paris, Crete, and finally New York City where he comes to know an array of late 20th century luminaries, including Andy Warhol, Paul Morrissey, Allen Ginsberg, Yoko Ono, and Charles's sister, Ruth, an actress whose Dakota salon is a hub for artists and writers. Supplemented with Tamang's candid pictures, alongside historical portraits by Charles Henri Ford, Tamang's account is tender and humorous and a wonder all around."

-Allen Frame, photographer, writer, and curator

Book Information
ISBN 9781885983473
Author Indra B. Tamang
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Turtle Point Press
Publisher Turtle Point Press