Stefan Marx
Born in 1979 in Germany, Stefan Marx is an artist and illustrator based in Berlin, having relocated from Hamburg. Drawing inspiration from his passions such as drawing, skateboarding, books, and sketchbooks, he showcases his talents across various fields, including publishing art collections, art exhibitions, public art, and designing record jackets. Through his drawings and illustrations, Marx expresses his worldview, philosophy, and indie spirit as a skateboarder, offering a unique perspective on the world. At the age of 15, he founded the independent T-shirt label “Lousy Livin’ Company,” producing high-quality and creative T-shirts in limited quantities. He has also collaborated with numerous brands and companies, ranging from skateboard brands like “MAGENTA SKATEBOARDS” and “5BORO” to larger entities like “IKEA.” Several art books featuring his works have been published by publishers such as Nieves and Dashwood Books.
Instagram: @stefanmarx

Stefan Marx, an artist based in Berlin, Germany, has been influenced by cultural elements like skateboarding and music since his youth. His love of skateboarding and music from his youth led him to creative activities such as T-shirt and record jacket design, and later to the field of fine art. His typography, characterized by a floating sensation and condensed inspiration, serves as a device that expands the imagination of the viewer, evoking a sense of openness. Marx’s drawings, born from everyday observations and constant practice, exude a gentle, adorable, and comical charm, resonating with a wide audience through their sincere sensibility. Furthermore, when his works are applied to constructive spaces or architectural products, they create impactful suggestions beyond literal meanings, infusing new significance into places and objects. Despite evolving his creativity, Marx maintains his independent stance consistently. In recent years, he has explored collaborations with fashion brands like “Supreme” and “Comme des Garçons,” expanding the possibilities of merging art with commerce.

An interview was conducted with Stefan, who visited Japan this time. In the first part, we discussed the origin and progress of his creative activities, as well as the sentiments involved. In the second part, we inquired about his stance on typography and public art, which are themes of his representative works, as well as introducing and outlining the purpose of his new book, and collaborations with other artists. We asked about his approach to art as an open space, fostering the exchange of people’s free sensibilities and synergistic effects.

Visualizing inspiration derived from experience through typography

–Recently, an exhibition centered around typography artworks was held at the “Ruttkowski;68” gallery in New York. In the statement accompanying the exhibition, it was mentioned that “the text is inspired by lyrics.”

Stefan Marx(Stefan): Certainly, in the early days, I used to create artworks inspired by lyrics, but it’s different now. For example, Sunrise Sunset was conceptualized with ideas from both words and composition, visualized in my mind and then manifested into the artwork. Recent works often focus on compositions with words positioned at the top and bottom of the screen, with space in between.

Additionally, Listen to the Rain was inspired by experiences in Japan. In Japan, when it rains, many people use vinyl umbrellas, and when raindrops fall on them, it creates a distinct sound. This unique phenomenon of listening to the rain in Japan became the inspiration for the artwork.

In this way, typography artworks often stem from visiting various places and drawing inspiration from situations and experiences, resulting in their visual representation.

–Recent works tend to exude a poetic atmosphere.

Stefan: I perceive both words and drawings as visual images. I’m constantly thinking about words and drawings, accumulating various ideas in my mind, and they blend together to become artworks. Whether I’m walking, riding the train, listening to music, reading a book, or even browsing comments on social media, I sometimes get ideas from everywhere.

In typography artworks, I consider not only the literal meaning of words but also how to effectively express the imagery derived from them. For example, the artwork Heaven is a simple word, but through the combination of visual effects, it can convey complex meanings and transcend the boundaries of creation. Similarly, Moonlightss is a simple word, but the fluorescent colors shine in the darkness.

In Love Letter, I added information on the back of the artwork, such as “From ○○ to △△,” making it customizable as a unique piece. It’s interesting how this changes the weight and nuances of the words.

–This time, I also challenged myself with Japanese language artworks.

Stefan: When I visited Japan last time, I heard the phrase “omataseshimashita” (おまたせしました) multiple times from airport and restaurant staff, and I was curious about its meaning. I asked my friends to explain it to me and made a note of it.

This time, I decided to turn “omataseshimashita” into a typography artwork and display it. I wanted to convey a double meaning: asking people to wait in line for the Tokyo Art Book Fair’s signing event and expressing my hope that they would continue to participate in the exhibition.

I’m planning to continue working on Japanese language artworks in the future and studying hiragana, katakana, numbers, and more.

Reflecting the region and providing democratic locations accessible to everyone: Public Art

–Among the typography artworks, there are some that are installed on a large scale in urban spaces, resembling billboards in a way. Could you tell us about this project?

Stefan: There is a project to install public art in 30 locations across German cities, and I received offers for three of them: Bochum, Dortmund, and Essen. Subsequently, I also received offers from other cities, such as Basel in Switzerland. In Düsseldorf, a piece I created on the interior walls of the Kunsthalle museum can be viewed by anyone from the outside.

I love the democratic aspect of public art, where everyone can enjoy it for free. The production process is quite challenging, as it involves finding suitable large walls for the artwork, obtaining permission from the owners, ensuring the feasibility of working at heights, and securing the cost of lifts. However, I really enjoy the process and it has provided an opportunity for many people to become familiar with my work.

–When creating large-scale artwork in public spaces, do you have any particular considerations?

Stefan: When creating large-scale pieces in urban areas, I typically opt for monochrome colors. Although I have recently started creating colored pieces as well, I believe that black and white tends to be simpler and blends better with the surroundings. I like to enhance the expression with the contrasting contrast of white and black.

In the case of public art, since the artwork is installed in spaces where many people can see it, I proceed with the production while investigating the origin and history of that location. For the first three cities where I implemented the project, they were once thriving mining areas, so I chose words inspired by lyrics that were popular among laborers in the 19th century. Additionally, considering the size and shape of the walls, I repeatedly verified how the artwork would appear architecturally and spatially while creating it.

Continuing to create works in various forms by observing the everyday world, I want everyone to enjoy them

–This time, you participated in the Tokyo Art Book Fair for the first time. Please introduce your new books.

Stefan: While I’ve been attending the NY Art Book Fair annually since its inception, this marks my first participation in the Tokyo Art Book Fair. My friends, including HIMAA, Utrecht, and twelvebooks, have been asking me every year, “When are you coming?” so I’m glad I could finally make it.

I have four new releases this time. Firstly, there are two accordion-fold books. They document a series where I stand at a single point in a park, rotating 360 degrees while drawing panoramic views from the same position. One book captures the scene when I visited Tokyo in April 2023, guided by Yasukazu Yamamoto, who is a stylist known for his personal items. The other book features drawings made in Yoyogi Park. Since 2006, I’ve been drawing in Yoyogi Park every time I visit Japan, and some of these drawings have even appeared on record jackets.

Additionally, there’s a book co-produced with Dashwood Books in NY and a coloring book published by the traditional Berlin publisher, Hatje Cantz. The latter contains 31 illustrations that were serialized daily in The NY Times in August 2019, now presented as coloring pages. It’s designed with large-sized pages so that children can boldly color them, and it uses very lightweight paper for easy flipping. While this book is for children, it’s also designed to be enjoyed by adults as an artist’s book.

–Why did you decide to create books for children? Did you take any special considerations for children’s books?

Stefan: When I create books, I never specifically target them for anyone in particular.I aim to create something that anyone can enjoy. Even when I previously collaborated with Rollo Press in Switzerland to create children’s books, while many people bought them as gifts for children, adults also enjoyed them.

Fundamentally, I don’t like to categorize my expressions too much, and I always aim to create something that everyone can enjoy. Unlike language, art is something that people worldwide can understand at a glance. I believe that simple expressions based on the effect of art can generate empathy among many people.

My fine art pieces are very expensive and not something everyone can afford, but records and zines are accessible to anyone, so they can be picked up by various people. By providing diverse outlets, I want to create a democratic space accessible to everyone. I continue both fine art and commercial activities. T-shirts are a prime example of this.

This approach also extends to observing my daily life and the things around me and continuing to draw what I feel.

Collaborating with Artists to Foster Further Development by Sharing Creative Spaces

–You’ve collaborated with various brands in the past, but your collaboration with “Comme des Garçons” featured your artwork boldly displayed on the entire surface of structurally shaped dresses. Both of you have strong artistic inclinations, so how did the collaboration progress?

Stefan: It started quite abruptly. One Sunday evening while I was packing to go to the NY Art Book Fair, I received an unexpected email from one of Kawakubo’s assistants. The email expressed their desire to use my artwork for the “Comme des Garçons” collection. They had already decided which pieces they wanted to use, but the design aspect was left entirely to “Comme des Garçons”. Until the collection was unveiled at the show, nobody knew how the pieces would be designed. I had to decide whether to accept or decline the offer after understanding all the conditions.

The method of collaboration with “Comme des Garçons” was very straightforward, which resonated with me as I also use a similar approach when designing record jackets. So, I immediately replied, “Let’s do it,” to facilitate an environment where they could easily unleash their creativity.

In reality, the content of the collaboration was completely unknown until the day of the show. Even the PR team of “Comme des Garçons” saw it for the first time at the show. The dresses worn by models with avant-garde hairstyles were fantastic, and I am very satisfied with the result.

The collaboration approach of “Comme des Garçons” was very enlightening. I believe it is highly suitable when collaborating with artists. Because of the mutual respect, sharing creative space and allowing each other to work freely can further develop creativity.

–You have visited Japan many times, but have you been inspired by anything in Japan, such as “Listen to the Rain” mentioned earlier, or found anything interesting?

Stefan: Japan is a place I love because I have friends here, and there are foods I enjoy. I’m grateful to have had several memorable projects here. I’ve had the opportunity to exhibit at bookstores like Utrecht and galleries like SALT AND PEPPER, collaborated with GASBOOK, worked with brands like UNIQLO and BEAMS.

I find inspiration in the meticulous attention to detail in everyday things in Japan. I also enjoy observing how cities, streets, and architecture are structured across various layers. Tokyo, in particular, feels very different from other cities. The subway system, the dynamics of society and community, may seem complex at first glance, but it functions mysteriously well. In that regard, Tokyo feels different from other Asian cities as well.

–Please tell us about what you want to achieve and challenge in your future creative endeavors.

Stefan: In 2023, I was traveling around the world for art shows and exhibitions, so in 2024, I want to spend time in my studio, quietly focusing on creating and challenging myself with new endeavors. Specifically, I have a plan to collaborate with friends in Italy, using stones and jewelry to create artworks. Rather than sculptural 3D pieces, I’m considering an approach that involves using stones flat, like plates, akin to drawing.

Photography Masashi Ura
Interview Akio Kunisawa
Translation Elie Inoue

The post Art as an Open Space for Everyone – Interview with Artist Stefan Marx Pert.2 appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Stefan Marx
Born in 1979 in Germany, Stefan Marx is an artist and illustrator based in Berlin, having relocated from Hamburg. Drawing inspiration from his passions such as drawing, skateboarding, books, and sketchbooks, he showcases his talents across various fields, including publishing art collections, art exhibitions, public art, and designing record jackets. Through his drawings and illustrations, Marx expresses his worldview, philosophy, and indie spirit as a skateboarder, offering a unique perspective on the world. At the age of 15, he founded the independent T-shirt label “Lousy Livin’ Company,” producing high-quality and creative T-shirts in limited quantities. He has also collaborated with numerous brands and companies, ranging from skateboard brands like “MAGENTA SKATEBOARDS” and “5BORO” to larger entities like “IKEA.” Several art books featuring his works have been published by publishers such as Nieves and Dashwood Books.
@stefanmarx

Stefan Marx, an artist based in Berlin, Germany, has been influenced by cultural elements like skateboarding and music since his youth. His love of skateboarding and music from his youth led him to creative activities such as T-shirt and record jacket design, and later to the field of fine art. His typography, characterized by a floating sensation and condensed inspiration, serves as a device that expands the imagination of the viewer, evoking a sense of openness. Marx’s drawings, born from everyday observations and constant practice, exude a gentle, adorable, and comical charm, resonating with a wide audience through their sincere sensibility. Furthermore, when his works are applied to constructive spaces or architectural products, they create impactful suggestions beyond literal meanings, infusing new significance into places and objects. Despite evolving his creativity, Marx maintains his independent stance consistently. In recent years, he has explored collaborations with fashion brands like “Supreme” and “Comme des Garçons,” expanding the possibilities of merging art with commerce. We interviewed Stefan during his visit to Japan. In this first part, we delve into his background, his fascination with street culture, and how he transitioned his overflowing ideas from his youth into label activities, discussing his attitude from the early stages of his career.

Aiming for a Crossroads of Diverse Cultures

–Can you tell us about the background and journey that led you to pursue art?

Stefan Marx（Stefan）: I was born in Schwalmstadt, Germany, and grew up in Totzenhausen, a very small town. From a young age, I was interested in art, typography, and graphic design, and later developed an interest in skateboarding culture. Back then, the internet wasn’t widespread, so magazines were the main source of information, but it was quite challenging to find sophisticated magazines in the countryside. In that environment, at the age of 15, I wanted to create clothes for my friends who skateboarded, so I started a T-shirt label called “Lousy Livin’ Company.”

 Afterwards, I attended university in Hamburg, where I continued to design T-shirts for my label alongside my studies. I also worked providing graphics for a skateboard company called “CLEPTOMANICX.”

Following my university graduation, I had a pivotal encounter with Karin Guenther, a curator based in Hamburg, which led to the opportunity to exhibit my work in galleries. Alongside my fine art endeavors, I continued my commercial work. It was after creating a catalog for my own label that I started compiling Zines featuring my drawings.

Benjamin from the Swiss publisher Nieves took a liking to one of these Zines, and the following year, we collaborated on a book together. Since then, I’ve been publishing books annually with Nieves.

–How did your interest in art and typography develop in an environment where information was limited during your childhood?

Stefan: There wasn’t any special catalyst, but I’ve always been interested in visual expression since childhood, finding joy and immersion in the act of drawing. I was always drawing something. While I think everyone enjoys drawing as a child, I’ve continued to do so into adulthood; it’s something I’ve never stopped. I simply love to draw.

Drawing allowed me to observe the things around me, absorbing their visual essence, and sharing those images with others. That has been a significant motivation for me, and I believe it’s why I continue to draw to this day.

–Please tell us about the specific activities and goals you had when you established your label “Lousy Livin’ Company” at the age of 15.

Stefan: At that time, American skate brands were popular among my skater friends, but they were too expensive to buy in Germany. So, I decided to start my own label to create alternative options. When I became interested in skateboarding, I also developed an interest in the surrounding culture, including fashion, graphics, and music, which naturally led to an interest in making clothes. I had many ideas about how existing decks and T-shirt designs could be more interesting.

When I started the label, I had no knowledge about how to make items or how to run a business, so I gathered information by asking adults around me. I found a company that could screen print T-shirts, borrowed money from my sister for production costs, and made the first T-shirt.

Since I was running the label alone, I did everything myself, not just designing. I went to wholesale companies for skate shops to sell my T-shirts and even sold them to friends in the schoolyard. I was doing it because I wanted people to see what I had made and was enjoying it. It was all about wanting to see my friends happy.

My friends knew I was working hard to make clothes, so they supported me by wearing my clothes.

As I continued the label’s activities, I realized I wanted not only my skater friends to wear the items but also non-skater friends to understand and appreciate them.

I wanted a broader range of people to be interested. Although I initially started as a skateboarding brand, it eventually grew into a brand worn by many people. I wanted to create a space where various people could intersect through the brand.

 Adding Visual Elements to Music, Expanding the Listener’s Imagination

–You’ve been familiar with music since childhood and have designed numerous record jackets. What led you to start working with music?

Stefan: Designing record jackets was a childhood dream of mine. However, when I started my design career, records were transitioning to CDs, and CDs were transitioning to MP3s, so I thought there wouldn’t be opportunities to design record jackets anymore.

Nevertheless, there were still artists in the independent scene releasing analog works, and I happened to get the chance to design the record jacket for Isolée’s “We Are Monster,” which turned out to be a big hit. This led me to handle all the record jacket designs for “Smallville Records,” an underground techno/house label in Hamburg.

Initially, when I started designing for “Smallville Records,” I didn’t think the label would last long, so I approached it with the mindset that designing about five records would be sufficient. However, contrary to my expectations, the records sold well, and the label has been going strong for almost 20 years.

During the pandemic when business was slow, my partner and I decided to establish a company and took over all the rights to “Smallville Records.” Currently, I own 50% of the label’s shares and am involved in its operations.

The design approach at “Smallville Records” is simple: each record jacket consists solely of my artwork on the front, with the musician’s name and credits printed on the back. I believe this innovative approach to jacket design contributed to its success.

–Could you please tell me what you value in the design of record jackets? Are you expanding the image from the content of the music?

Stefan: In designing record jackets, I draw inspiration from Sonic Youth’s approach. They often selected existing artwork by artists like Raymond Pettibon, Mike Kelley, and Gerhard Richter for their album covers, creating a visual connection to their music. I aim to achieve a similar effect, allowing the artwork to expand the listener’s imagination and create various interpretations. While some designs may provoke discomfort, I believe it’s essential to design jackets that enhance the listener’s experience.

When designing, I avoid listening to the music beforehand and instead rely on the title and track names to inspire my designs. I visualize typography and design elements based on these cues. Regarding artist input, I typically present 2-3 design ideas and let the artist choose, preferring not to accommodate specific requests. Sometimes, unrelated artwork I’ve created ends up becoming a record jacket, as I approach jacket design as an extension of my artistic portfolio rather than solely for the record’s sake.

Photography Masashi Ura
Interview Akio Kunisawa
Translation Elie Inoue

The post Art as an Open Space for Everyone – Interview with Artist Stefan Marx Part.1 appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

While stepping on the floor of everyday life, he looks with a bird’s-eye view on the situation where individuals and communities in society are exposed to some form of solid power. He reflects this atmosphere in his photographs, allowing us to perceive and consider social and political issues. By framing multiple heterogeneous elements that he himself has found affinity among with his photographs, he gives them a new context and creates a chain of images for the viewer. In fast-paced streets and sports arenas, the thoughtful eyes of Marcopoulos capture the aura and the noise of the vibrant life of athletes and skateboarders aiming high in an earnest manner and the energy of the cultural scene, which is just like a common language.

His photographs, which instantly burn these elements into our minds, are gentle yet intimate with cinematic narratives, evoking an intuitive resonance in the hearts and minds of the viewers. In this interview, we asked him about the background of “Zines” and “Against the Current,” as well as the thoughts he puts into his photography.

Ari Marcopoulos
Ari Marcopoulos is a US-based photographer born in the Netherlands in 1957. He moved to New York in 1979 and apprenticed to Irving Penn following his work as an assistant to Andy Warhol. He is known worldwide as an artist whose work crosses the boundaries between the American subculture such as skateboarding, hip-hop and the terrain of fine art. In particular, he has been successful in the publication of numerous photo books, zines, posters, and other printed matters. His work is included in the collections of the Berkeley Art Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Winterthur Museum of Photography, New Orleans Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Recent solo exhibitions include “Upstream,” Kunsthalle Sankt Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland (2022) and “Time Motion,” Archive/Project Space, Pittsfield, MA (2021).

Marcopoulos has created 200 books and limited-edition private magazines, including Ari Marcopoulos: Zines (Aperture, 2023), Polaroids 92-95 (CA), Polaroids 92-95 (NY) (both DASHWOOD BOOKS, 2020), Epiphany (IDEA, 2016), and Rome-Malibu (Roma, 2016).

Instagram: @ari_marcopoulos_official

“Zines,” a projection of a reality dismembered by historical incidents and the internal and external changes of self and others.

–What inspired you to compile Zines into a book, given your analytical use of each medium–photography books, exhibitions, and Zines–in terms of their scope and effect?

Ari Marcopoulos (Marcopoulos): I came up with the idea of creating “Zines” during the pandemic. At that time, copy shops and bookstores were closed, so I made zines in a PDF format. Since there was no telling when the pandemic would end, I would send my zines as PDF data to friends in New York and artist friends overseas, instead of just waiting for a more favorable situation.

After the situation had gradually calmed down, I started to think it would be important to keep a record of the pandemic chronologically in telling the stories of my own life and other people’s lives back then. I approached the publisher Aperture with a proposal to publish a photobook out of PDF files. They loved my idea and were willing to publish it, so I started to work with a designer, my longtime collaborator, discussing how we could frame the book.

The book is divided into two sections: the first half consists of scans of paper-based zines printed between 2015 and 2020. You can actually see the staple binding in the center of the spread. The second part is composed of PDF photographic images printed on a black background, which looks more like a typical photobook.

–The PDF section provides us with your point of view on the everyday life that has been disrupted by historically notable events creating “disjuncture (pre and post periods),” such as the pandemic and Black Lives Matter. From what perspective did you take these photographs?

Marcopoulos: I have always been interested in social and political issues, but I am not a news photographer or journalist, so I do not take photographs that get at the core of the issue. Rather than dealing with the subject squarely, I think my approach is to address the issue in a roundabout way, as when I photographed the protests triggered by the assault of a black boy by a young white man in the 1980s, for example.

I often take photos of the cover photos of “The New York Times,” which deals with important social issues of the day and complex situations that are difficult to resolve, so in some ways I am capturing society through these photos.

On page 204 of “Zines,” there is a photo depicting “The Raft on the Medusa,” a work by 19th century painter Theodore Gericault, placed right next to “Five Car Stud,” a book of Edward Kienholz’s installation. (*1)

As the American writer Maggie Nelson mentions in her preface to “Zines” (*2), I am not focusing directly on social-movement-oriented expressions through photography. Still, I believe that the viewer can receive something from my photographs, interpret them with their imagination, and gain insights. In my work, of course, I occasionally take commercial photos, but basically, I shoot what I really want to shoot, rather than taking photos that people expect me to.

–The photos taken during the pandemic show individuals in the almost unpopulated city of New York for the first time in history, in a situation where death is very close at hand. Unlike journalistic photos, they allow us to see the everyday life that has changed drastically, with a time stamp through your eyes. The zines produced after the pandemic are based on memories shared worldwide and provoke different reactions from viewers than those caused by zines produced before the pandemic, which have more intimate nuance. How do you perceive the photos before and after the pandemic?

Marcopoulos: The pandemic was a shared experience worldwide, although individuals cope with it differently.

Before the pandemic, I thought viewers would see something “familiar” for them in a photograph. For example, suppose I took a picture of a certain family. The viewers may look at the photo and think of their own family. Or a photograph of an injured elbow of a child who has fallen off a bicycle may remind viewers of their own child or their own childhood. I believed that this was what photography was all about.

Since the pandemic outbreak, the inside and the outside of our lives have been divided, and me and my partner have been isolated from the outside world, lapsing into a very introspective state of mind. We came to work slower than we did before and to take fewer photos.

Black Lives Matter-related protests were happening in various places at the time, but I no longer went to the sites to take photos as I used to but rather took photos of things that caught my attention while walking around the neighborhood. At a basketball court near my place, a guy wore a face mask while playing with two balls, which looked surreal.

Basically, I see photo books and videos as something that creates a cinematic feeling through a series of images. After the pandemic, I felt like the cinematic flow of time in the photobooks slowed down.

One day, I came across a school graduation ceremony taking place outdoors. It was the first positive event I had experienced during the pandemic, and I took several pictures. In the past, even though I would have found this event to be a pleasant experience, I probably would not have found such profound meaning in it. The pandemic was the catalyst that led me to stop by and photograph the event, which was a significant change for me.

The work is completed and cycled by the audience

–You have created a number of zines so far. What kind of people do you expect as an audience? Also, what has been the most gratifying reaction from people who have read your zines?

Marcopoulos: I don’t have a specific target audience in mind, but I would like the younger generation and people who try to be young at heart to see them. The exhibition at MAKI Gallery in Tokyo was visited by young people who have probably never been to a gallery to see art pieces before. They may not even buy my books, but there may be many young people who get to know my name by chance and come to the gallery with their friends. I feel a work presented publicly is completed by audience, which works just like a cycle.

Usually, when I make a zine to sell, I bring it to “Dashwood Books” in New York or sell it through distributors and stores in Japan, Australia, and England. But apart from that, I sometimes make zines as personal gifts. For example, when I travel with my partner, I make one or two copies of a zine about the trip.

One time, a guy who lives nearby told me that his brothers were coming all the way from Tennessee to celebrate his birthday. Later, I saw people in the neighborhood that I don’t usually see, so I took their pictures and counted how many people were in the printed photos, and there were 14 of them. I made 14 copies of a zine with those photos and gave them to that guy.

A week later, when I went to my favorite barbershop in the neighborhood, I was told that the guy to whom I gave my zine was delighted and proud of the zine I gave, saying, “Ari had made a zine for me with my brothers’ photos.” The most gratifying reaction to my zine was that the person to whom I made the zine and gave it as a gift was pleased and received it as a meaningful gift.

— By making a photo book out of zines that were intended to be given to specific people, the audience for the zine has expanded even further. How do you think this transforms the photographs?

Marcopoulos: I usually make a zine on a different theme each time, but mixing each subject in one book gives it an archival quality, a study, or a kind of research that shows the art practices that are important to me in a comprehensive way. The zine I have made for a very limited period of time will have a completely different meaning by being contained in a single book, as it can be a part of representing my practice to date systematically.

A Solitary Spirit Engraved by Concentrated Images and Sound

— An exhibition as a visual medium allows for the expression of a “video work,” which is different from a photobook or a zine, that boosts the power of the images and delivers it to the viewers effectively. The video work “THE PARK” (2019), which was shot by you with the determination to accept all of reality in front, also reflects the vital noise that humans emit, and matches very well with the music of jazz. At your solo exhibition held at MAKI Gallery in Tokyo from June to July this year, “Butter,” a video work capturing snowboarders sliding inside a halfpipe, was also shown. Please tell us about the expression you are exploring in your video works.

Marcopoulos: “The Park” is a 60-minute film shot with two fixed-point cameras. For the sound, we had the option of using real sounds from the location, but we ended up having pianist Jason Moran improvise to the video and record it for the soundtrack.

On the other hand, the key for this snowboard video piece, “Butter,” is “a rhythm of rising and easing tensions,” consisting of the noise the skateboarder makes on the halfpipe and the silence that comes at the moment of air. The air suspends when the rider is in the air, and the tension comes back. I found this 30-second loop interesting.

The “Butter” project took six years to realize. I planned and chose carefully the best skateboarders and filming locations for this 30-second clip. The halfpipes are usually located in snow resorts, where hotels and other buildings can potentially be included in the footage. However, after careful location research, we filmed in Saas-Fee, where the majestic Swiss mountains provide a stunning backdrop. The halfpipe itself gives the impression of sculpture or land art. I thought the lighting was a significant factor for this piece, so we shot it in the early morning, which successfully worked to create a mystic aura emanating from the sunlight. 

Also, I call the movement of athletes “dance,” and this time, as in Ozu’s film, I shot in a dry, fixed-point style with the camera barely moving to further emphasize the “dance” in the  rhythm of rising and easing tensions.

Also, the sound of the video was bouncing to the walls of the gallery space, sometimes echoing like a huge noise, and other times quiet and silent. It can be seen as a kind of sound art rather than a video.

— In snowboarding, which is performed in the formidable snowy mountains, there is a contrast between the existence of man and nature, and the ambition and enthusiasm of man to conquer nature, as seen in some of Werner Herzog’s films. What was on your mind at the moment of shooting? Also, was there any difference from photographing people skateboarding or playing basketball on the streets of New York?

Marcopoulos: It is understandable that my work shot in the snowy mountain reminds you of Herzog’s films, and for the work “Ayumu,” I had in my mind the image of a painting by Kasper David Friedrich, a German painter from the 19th century. Kasper painted small and silent human figures that stand in majestic nature. In that sense, the location was essential for that work.

Athletes compete in physically extreme challenges and amidst danger. In a sense, the glimpse of their challenges to overcome nature inspired me a lot to shoot snowboarding works.

When I go into the mountains to shoot, a strange sensation arises. I began to enjoy being in the peaks themselves and to feel strongly how small we humans are in contrast to the scale of the mountains.

Skateboarding and snowboarding are similar in that they share common movements: riding on the board and sliding sideways. Also, riders focus on their bodies and movements in both sports. The mentality of skateboarders is something that I am strongly attracted to when I photograph them. With the common interest of skateboarding, the distinctions between age, race, gender, and other social categories disappear. When you go to a skate park, there is a wide variety of people from all walks of life. This is an exciting point for taking photographs.

Whether it is snowboarding, skateboarding on the street, or basketball, I photograph the culture rather than individuals as my subjects. I don’t focus directly on the beauty of the body, although there is an aspect of showing the beauty of the body and movement through my photography.

I have to give it all my got to concentrate all my thoughts on photographing people who are “passionate about something and accomplish things with enthusiasm.” This mentality is something I share with them.

–During your last visit to Japan, you stayed in Tokyo and Kyoto, did you find anything that you wanted to photograph?

Marcopoulos: That was my second visit to Kyoto, which was a delightful experience. Kyoto is very different from Tokyo in how the city is built, with streets organized along grids and many old things remaining. I took pictures of temples and other historical buildings, new architecture, and people training kendo.

I was also impressed by the wonderful works in the exhibition “Re: Startiline 1963-1970/2023: Sympathetic Relations between the Museum and Artist in the Trends in Contemporary Japanese Art Exhibition” at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.

It would also be interesting to revisit the Raku Museum and discover how the Raku pottery tradition has been passed down through taking photographs. Next time, I would like to find a place to live and stay in Kyoto for two to three months.

1. “The Raft of the Medusa” is a painting that journalistically depicts the actual 1816 shipwreck of the French navy ship Medusa. The French commanding officers and other dignitaries used the lifeboats exclusively at the time of the shipwreck, leaving the 149 crew members adrift on a roughly built raft. Most of them died in the 13 days before the rescue; even 15 survivors lapsed into physically and mentally extreme states. Géricault interviewed survivors and conducted extensive observations of human bodies in hospitals to realistically depict the horrors of the starvation, madness, and despair that trapped the people in the incident. “Five Car Stud” is an installation work that consists of a realistic diorama and life-size figures and automobiles depicting the lynching of a black man who was chatting with a white woman at night by white men.

2. Maggie Nelson writes, “Although it is seemingly a photograph capturing the juxtaposition of disparate cultural objects, the combination of these two works depicts a complex structure of white and black bodies subjected to suffering and violence, which evokes the relationship of Géricault and Kienholz as white artists, to black images, historical violence, racist protest, anti-slavery abolitionism (summary).”

Interview Akio Kunisawa
Translation Shinichiro Sato(TOKION)
Cooperation twelvebooks, MAKI Gallery

The post Circulating Memories, Chained Images, and Resonant Spirits: An Interview with Photographer Ari Marcopoulos appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

In the second part, we talked to Mike Kubeck and Phil Cashman about the basic philosophy and goals of SupernaturalDeluxe, which has newly formed in Kamogawa.

SupernaturalDeluxe
SuperDeluxe was a one-of-a-kind cultural center that led the underground scene, regrettably closed in 2019 due to demolition of the building. After that, SupernaturalDeluxe opened to the public for the first time in September 2022. This “place for new experiments” had been quietly undergoing preparation in Kamogawa City, Chiba since 2020. SupernaturalDeluxe is a long-term collaboration between Mike Kubeck, Director of SuperDeluxe, and Phil Cashman, Director of Permaculture AWA. Their aim is to revitalize a registered cultural property in the heart of Kamogawa City and its vast grounds as a place offering expression, education, new experiences, research, and contemplation. The restoration is a work in progress and will not be completed for several years. The project will include workshops and other public presentations on the process of achieving sustainable operation and management that places emphasis on community and ecological health. The memorable first concert featured Eiko Ishibashi and Jim O’Rourke.

Establishing SupernaturalDeluxe, an all-encompassing experience

–Was there any other reason aside from the demolition of the building that made you decide to relocate the venue from the Nishi-Azabu?

Mike Kubeck (Mike): Actually, even before news of the demolition, we had been planning for a multi-sited operation, one in Nishi-Azabu and one in some provincial town. When we decided to close SuperDeluxe, we knew that if we were going to reopen, we wanted to do it in a totally different location with a different approach. We wanted to create a place where we could carefully plan and hold events at a slower pace with less economic pressure and stucture. The idea was, “What if artists can stay for a while, eat delicious food, and produce their work, instead of simply stopping by for a day as part of a tour and leaving immediately after doing the show?” With that in mind, we wanted to do something in a rural area that could not be done in Tokyo. So, I started looking at places in Minami-Boso, Fukushima, Yamanashi, Kyushu, and other areas.

–What was the deciding factor in choosing Kamogawa as the location for your venue?

Mike: The fact that my friend Phil was living near Kamogawa was a significant element. I was also offered a position planning events in Kamogawa in 2019, so I decided to move here to get a close look at the area. Those events ended up being canceled due to the pandemic, but I was able to find this place as a result. When I first saw this incredible site, I felt that anything and everything was possible.

I was introduced to the owner and spoke with them a number of times over about two years. It was a very long process, and I almost gave up, but with Phil’s support, we finally got permission to use the space.

The buidling we are using for concerts and other activities was originally a sake brewery. The traditional architecture’s high ceilings and mud walls provide a wonderfully clear acoustic, so we’re using the space with minimal modification. The three historical buildings on premises; sake brewery, rice storage, and thatched roof house, are all registered as tangible cultural property. Artist accommodation is in the traditional thatched roof house.

— Permaculture lies at the base of SupernaturalDeluxe. Can you tell us how you started with a sustainable agricultural lifestyle that takes care of the environment and people?

Phil Cashman (Phil): The birth of my child was the catalyst. Until then, I had been so focused on how I lived that I wasn’t aware of anything else. I had made houses and sculptures out of scrap wood, and I had been involved in social movements toward global environmental justice and anti-war, but my own emotion was at the core of my passion. However, after the birth of my children, I began to put their happiness first. I began to think about how these children could live safely, healthily, and happily through to the age of 80, which has shifted my perspective. I started thinking about what we should do to improve the future and the environment from a long-term perspective rather than being based on a short-sighted plan.

Around that time, I had the opportunity to learn about Bill Mollison, the father of permaculture, and decided to go to Australia to study under him while he was still actively working. Bill’s personality was terrific, and his presence, what he spoke, and how he delivered them all overwhelmed me. I was deeply moved by his philosophy of permaculture, which takes a systematic approach to environmental design based on a scientific understanding of the components of natural ecological systems.

After returning to Japan, I was engaged in permaculture practice in Hayama, but I wanted to expand and develop the community in a larger location, which led me to Kamogawa. The farm is environmentally designed so that everything is circulated. Rainwater and domestic wastewater are decomposed and filtered to be stored in a pond with water-cleaning plants planted around it. Frogs and dragonflies gather there seasonally and eat pests. The waste generated is composted and turned into soil, which is used to grow vegetables such as kale and coriander leaves.

Aiming for a utopia where all people can freely participate and enjoy experimentation

— What do you envision for the future of SupernaturalDeluxe?

Mike: I want to provide artists with unique experiences related to “food,” “environment,” and “nature” and explore that impact on musical expression and the art scene. In improvised music, synergy between the artists brings out new potential. Similarly, new forms of expression may emerge through the interactions arising from encounters between people, and that artists may be inspired through direct experience with permaculture.

Phil: Permaculture is a powerful system, and food is one of the elements. Overall, this place aims to be a kind of utopia. We are not bound by rules or money; we take our health and the environment seriously and eat good food. This place will be where we can respect each other’s individuality, stimulate sensibilities, and be ourselves.

Mike: This year, we plan to offer a permaculture design course as a workshop. We also intend to plan events from a long-term perspective rather than just hosting one-off events. We want to make this a place where people can experience various things throughout the year, including educational content, artistic expression, technology, and spiritual perspectives. When we were in Nishi-Azabu, people of all ages and occupations came to our events. We hope the same will be true in Kamogawa.

Phil: I have become friends with the people at the temple next door, and after a year of being here, the people in the area have slowly come to accept us. I would like to observe and grasp more of the characteristics of this place. In permaculture, there is this idea of “needs,” and it is essential to observe what is needed.
We are at a point of change. We want to create an enjoyable place by looking at what is happening in the world, in the fields of art and science, in Kamogawa, and in our own homes.

Photography Masashi Ura
Interview Akio Kunisawa
Edit Jun Ashizawa(TOKION)
Translation Shinichiro Sato(TOKION)

The post SupernaturalDeluxe’s ideal form of community:Interview with Mike Kubeck and Phil Cashman Part 2 appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

In the first part of this interview, we talked to Mike Kubeck about the background and unique development of SuperDeluxe.

SupernaturalDeluxe
SuperDeluxe was a one-of-a-kind cultural center that led the underground scene, regrettably closed in 2019 due to demolition of the building. After that, SupernaturalDeluxe opened to the public for the first time in September 2022. This “place for new experiments” had been quietly undergoing preparation in Kamogawa City, Chiba since 2020. SupernaturalDeluxe is a long-term collaboration between Mike Kubeck, Director of SuperDeluxe, and Phil Cashman, Director of Permaculture AWA. Their aim is to revitalize a registered cultural property in the heart of Kamogawa City and its vast grounds as a place offering expression, education, new experiences, research, and contemplation. The restoration is a work in progress and will not be completed for several years. The project will include workshops and other public presentations on the process of achieving sustainable operation and management that places emphasis on community and ecological health. The memorable first concert featured Eiko Ishibashi and Jim O’Rourke.

Toward a place for genre-less collaboration and discovery

–I would like to ask you about the beginnings of SuperDeluxe in Nishi-Azabu, a space that would bring together music from Tokyo’s underground scene.

Mike Kubeck (Mike): In the early 1990s, the underground scene was thriving in Tokyo, and there were many exciting events taking place in various places, such as the student hall of Hosei University, along the Chuo Line, and at “La. mama” in Shibuya. I went to live concerts almost every night.

In Los Angeles, where I went to university in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a great Hip Hop scene, club scene, and interesting events like Lollapalooza, but in Tokyo, there was music beyond imagination, even more than in Los Angeles. But at the time, I simply loved music and had no idea of opening my own music venue.

The turning point came in 1998. Together with the creative unit Namaiki, Klein Dytham Architects, and other people, we started a craft beer company called “Tokyo Ale” in a space called “Deluxe.” Deluxe was a shared office in a converted warehouse in Azabu Juban, where our brewer and I organized live events and served beer.

The shared office was also used by the interior design company, “Spinoff,” and DJ QUIETSTORM. Eventually, everyone’s work became too busy to allow for many live events in the shared space, so we decided to move these activities to another location, and opened SuperDeluxe in Nishiazabu in 2002. Initially, it was going to be a brew pub, but the members of Tokyo Ale saw new potential in the space and thought it would be great for improvised music and other performing arts. In the end, we decided to forgo the brewery and concentrate our operating as an event space. This was the beginning of SuperDeluxe.

–From the beginning, SuperDeluxe hosted avant-garde events, but as the years went by, the events became more and more intense as some of the best artists in the scene began to appear. What kind of venue did you want SuperDeluxe to be?

Mike: Our desire from the beginning was to create a place where artists from diverse disciplines, including music, dance, photography, and film, could interact with people from different fields and experiment freely. We all had friends who were artists working in various disciplines, but they didn’t have much contact with each other. We thought it would be interesting if they collaborated more. So we created opportunities for them to connect by inviting artists we thought might have chemistry with each other to perform on the same program so that they could experience each other’s work directly.

We wanted to make a place where both artists and audiences could enjoy themselves and where we could experience new creations and experiments that we could never have imagined. The thought was that if we could provide the infrastructure and environment, we could create unexpected encounters and witness something new. And that’s pretty much what happened!

–How did you go about planning the event to enhance the creativity and interaction of the event?

Mike: It was important to have a supportive attitude toward realizing what each artists wanted to achieve at SuperDeluxe. We were also willing to proceed with projects without knowing everything about each artist. If there was something about them that we intuitively liked, we would just trust them. Then, confirm the quality of their work by experiencing their performances. This way, both the audience and myself can enjoy “something new.” It’s a luxury to be able to experience something for the first time, live.

I think this method of working is quite experimental, and as Director, I worried about many things, but that’s also the nature of experimental and improvised music. If you don’t enjoy this process, you won’t be able to produce something unique.

On the other hand, I can also feel like an audience member and plan an event just because I desperately want to see it.

For example, we had a collaboration between the manga artist Toyo Kataoka and the theater company Tetsuwari Albatrossket. I felt that they somehow shared the same worldview, and I wanted to ask Toyo-san to draw a poster for the “Tetsuwari” performance. They hit it off so well at the meeting, it was decided that Toyo-san would also appear on stage. Even more, Toyo-san joined as member of Tetsuwari for a certain period after that. Things like this make me thankful to work as Director.

–Unique events were held every night in your venue, but what was the most memorable project for you?

Mike: There were many, but the duo of Tony Conrad and Keiji Haino was genuinely amazing. Another memorable project was a performance by the Dutch big band Willem Breuker Kollektief with the Tokyo dance company Strange Kinoko Dance Company, which turned out to be something different from a concert, and more of a fusion of dance, music, and theater.

Carsten Nicolai’s live performance was also mind-blowing. Experiencing the process of his worldview revealing itself through images and sound in close quarters was very special.

I am proud that through SuperDeluxe, I could communicate with many artists and experience the process involved in their expressions.

A community spreading from person to person

–SuperDeluxe was truly invaluable for the fact that it brought together independent artists from not only Japan but from all over the world. How did those miracles happen?

Mike: Actually, it was all through word-of-mouth (laughs). If a performer has a good experience at SuperDeluxe, that person will recommend it to another artist.

For example, musicians Carl Stone, Phill Niblock, and Jim O’Rourke have connected SuperDeluxe with many great artists. Even if we didn’t know the artist, we could feel comfortable proceeding with the project with these introductions. In this way, the community grew bigger and bigger.

We had to close our space in Nishi-Azabu after 17 years, but we were able to meet people from all over the world and build an unparalleled community. I hope we can meet even more artists and continue to present exciting performances in the future.

Photography Masashi Ura
Interview Akio Kunisawa
Edit Jun Ashizawa(TOKION)
Translation Shinichiro Sato(TOKION)

The post SupernaturalDeluxe, A Place for New Experiments: Interview with Mike Kubeck and Phil Cashman -Part 1 appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Emma Webster
Emma Webster (b. 1989) is a painter with an MFA from Yale School of Art (2018) and BA from Stanford University (2011). In 2021, she published Lonescape: Green, Painting, & Mourning Reality, a book of her collected reflections on landscape and image-making in a highly digital world.

Emma Webster is a Los Angeles-based artist who explores hybrid expression, using oil painting techniques to depict a unique landscape world constructed through VR. This year, she held a solo exhibition, The Dolmens, at PERROTIN Tokyo. A series of new drawings and paintings visually explored the theme of enclosed and hidden spaces like dolmens, resonating with the architecture of PERROTIN Tokyo as a framework of the exhibition. We spoke with the artist, who visited Japan for her solo exhibition.

Borderline Landscapes arising from the intercommunication between classics and technology

Depicted on canvas using traditional oil painting techniques is a landscape with curved plants of smooth textures reminiscent of the skeletons of giant ancient creatures towering silently. Pale light and spotlights, which do not seem to be natural sunlight, illuminate the landscape and coexist with profound darkness. Although the work appears to be imbued with a sense of reality in terms of scale and the shadows created by the lighting, the shapes, colors, atmosphere, and the presence of life do not link to reality. It is a surreal world created with an ingenious balance, where we can never reach the truth even if we try to stretch the fingers of our imagination. The imagery makes us wonder if we are lost in someone else’s mindscape, in a dream, or at the end of the future that humanity will eventually reach.

Emma Webster takes the diverse inspirations she finds in reflecting on the real world, gives shapes to them through 3D modeling in VR, and summons them back to the real world in the form of oil paintings. Another world depicted through her filter is not one filled with peace and nostalgia but one of disquiet and alarm, and poses wordless questions to us.

The role and signification of landscape painting in art history have varied over time, from an idealized background for religious painting, to the field of practices and challenges of artists who got caught by the act of painting landscapes, to the decoration of a mansion house. Real landscapes pass through the artists’ eyes and brushstrokes, taking on the colors of memory, imagination, and sensitivity and manifesting themselves on the canvas as parallel substances.

In this age of nearly limitless expressive techniques, Webster once again implies the meaning and possibilities of landscape painting.

She majored in Art Practice at Stanford University and worked in set design and scenography after graduation.

She says, “Stanford was an environment where many students were studying computer science and engineering, but I wasn’t interested in computers myself and spent a lot of my time sketching the many Rodin sculptures that were on campus.”

Later, while in the MFA program at Yale University, she was exposed to VR with the creative director Wyatt Roy’s help and learned digital modeling skills in software called Blender.

“The technology did not trigger the process of creating dioramas in VR and pictorializing. I used to create dioramas by hand, but one day I started experimenting with VR and became interested in VR expression itself, including its unique textures and lighting effects,” she said.

I spend a lot of time in drawing and visualizing images in VR space based on imagery collected through sketches and gradually converging them into a single work of art through constructing dioramas. Blender also involves lighting design. In film and theater, light can give meaning to darkness and create a particular mood to develop a story. Having been involved in stage design myself, I reflect on the effects of lighting on the viewer’s sensitivity and use this in creating my work.

Her lighting design also plays a part in connecting the actual exhibition space with the world of her works, allowing respective paintings to feel like doors to a surreality elaborated by Webster. She consciously leads the viewer into a combined experience of imagination.

She says, “For each exhibition, I create works based on a theme that can only be explored in that particular space. Although my work is not rooted in a specific ‘place,’ I aim to give meaning to both the work and the exhibition space through the exhibition and to create a spiritual connection with the existing context within the ‘place’ and environment.

“I am not depicting a specific landscape or emotion in any of my works, but rather exploring how disparate images are connected in the space of a painting, pretty much out of curiosity. I create my works with the idea that the viewers can immerse themselves in the world and space I create, and share and develop the same image.”

But from where does Webster draw her inspiration for creating a multi-layered world that straddles reality?

Webster responds, “I draw inspiration from all kinds of things, and I am developing my landscapes and worldviews as if I were creating a patchwork of images. For example, in this exhibition, I was strongly inspired by paintings of Albrecht Dürer in the 16th century. He is said to be the first landscape painter in the history of Western painting, but I feel that his paintings are more like still-life paintings because his paintings seem to be focused on “objects” as motifs. I have created this exhibition and my works based on this sensation.”

She continues, “I often get inspiration from movies too, and I especially love Sofia Coppola, so when I come to Tokyo, I feel like I am vicariously experiencing the world of “Lost in Translation” (laughs). When I walk around Tokyo, I spot advertisements that use video and computer graphics, as well as photographs. Unlike the descriptive advertisements that prevailed in the U.S., these ads are full of a wide variety of images, which is very interesting. Strolling aimlessly through the city, I sometimes come across unexpected universes with not only two-dimensional, but also three-dimensional depth, or find a nice hidden place in a building.”

Photography Masashi Ura
Interview Akio Kunisawa
Edit Jun Ashizawa(TOKION)
Translation Shinichiro Sato(TOKION)

The post A Hybrid of Technology and Oil Painting: Emma Webster’s Landscape on the boundary appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Through his consistent pursuit of “art” in an effortless and pure manner, Brunquell displays his diverse talents. For example, Purple brought about the grammar of art in the world of magazines, the formulaic periodical publication, revealing itself as a monument that shows that a single copy of a magazine can be an art piece. Also, in terms of photography and fashion, he creates a tide of energy by sharply and continuously capturing the moments where remarkable sensibility oozes. This is an act of creation done through the eyes of an artist in its own right.

This time, as the culmination of a career spanning more than 30 years, he has released EX PURPLE EX FIGARO, an art book that compiles his collage works. The images, which evoke the Freudian world of the deep psyche, pierce directly through our consciousness with psychedelic stimulation and humor. We interviewed Christophe, who visited Japan recently, about the background of his works, his attitude toward art, and his perspectives both as an artist and art director.

Christophe Brunquell
Christophe Brunquell is a contemporary artist, creative and art director born in Paris in 1969, whose range of creative practices is diverse. He was appointed art director of the 50th anniversary exhibition of Picasso’s death starting at Musée National Picasso-Paris in this coming September. He exhibits his own artworks every year at a number of galleries, including “Le Consortium”. He also works as art director for artists such as Sophie Calle.

Principles of creative practice: the pleasure of challenge and discomfort, immediate response to instinct.

–After 15 years in the art direction of Purple, you worked for 15 years in the creative direction of Le Figaro, France’s longest running mainstream news media. What were your personal principles in working with those two media with completely different backgrounds, environments, and audiences?

Christophe Brunquell (Christophe): The avant-garde Purple and the classic FIGARO have completely different universes, so it was good for me to be involved in them in a 50:50 balance. I think it also has something to do with my own background, having grown up in a rather traditional family.

Purple is a visually oriented medium. I was free to decide on the graphics and layout, so I used an experimental method of pasting type and images onto the pages of the magazine in a collage-like style, changing the format and size of each issue to keep it from following the same routine. I believe that the act of printing a magazine is “the achievement of modernism.” Each sheet of paper should have its own special value, and if it is not special, it does not deserve to be printed. I was working on Purple with this mind-set and attitude. A magazine is just like a work of art, and I do not draw any lines between the two. People want to collect and keep it all the more because it is an art piece. It should evoke that kind of feeling.

On the other hand, Figaro is a classic medium that places emphasis on writing, so I couldn’t experiment with it as an art form like I did with Purple, so I worked on the collage as a personal work in between jobs. People would be surprised if I did paintings while I was at work (laughs). I would use newspapers from major media around the world, such as The Guardian and The New York Times, that arrived at the office, and I have produced eight books of collages so far, using a total of about 35,000 sheets of newspaper for my work.

–Through your collage works, which have a slightly nightmarish and addictive quality and are created by reconstructing existing images of mainstream newspapers, you are throwing a stone of chaos into the media and readers of recent years, where we can see the establishment of “technique of sugarcoating” and a tendency toward pre-established harmony. What is in your mind when making collages?

Christophe: “Discomfort.” This is a crucial element for me. I feel uncomfortable being in a comfortable state. I have been a creative director for many different brands, but I have always valued this feeling. Even on a chair, I sit on only half of the seat to experience a sense of discomfort, and I don’t even have a sofa at home (laughs).

–I believe that the collage works in EX PURPLE EX FIGARO are valuable opportunities for us to trace a part of your creative process on a subconscious level. Please tell us about your perspective and attitude in your creative practice.

Christophe: Ever since I was a child, I could never be quiet, I had to be doing something, and I was and still am constantly moving. Some creative directors make mood boards, sit back, and work on something thoroughly, but that’s not the case with me. Drawing and painting are not the realizations of my thoughts. Anyway, I move my hands before I think. It is similar to the feeling of automatic writing.　　　　

Hans Hartung, an artist known for his informalism and abstract painting style, said, “The act of drawing is like being under a spell of lightning bolts.” Creativity, just like lightning, should be intense and full of energy.

Intuition in creation is quickly extinguished, so speed is definitely the key. Philip Roth, one of the most prominent novelists in American literature, didn’t sit down when writing, and Marguerite Duras began writing early in the day, before she had even spoken a single word. Basquiat and Miró would finish their paintings within a day.

I also always want to be immersed in my work in solitude. According to Arthur Baldwin Turnure, founder of Vogue, the more accomplished artists are, the greater their capacity for solitude. Bret Easton Ellis, the author of American Psycho, in my opinion, is not the kind of person who has weekend barbecues with friends but someone who is always working while enduring solitude (laughs).

–In my understanding, in addition to your collage works, you have been creating many other works of art, such as paintings and sculptures. What kind of works are they exactly?

Christophe: I do not paint figurative paintings, but abstract paintings mainly in black and white. I like abstract paintings by William de Kooning, Hans Hartung, Jackson Pollock, among others. In galleries, a red dot sticker is placed on the outside of the frame of the work, signifying that the work has been “sold,” but I put a twist on this idea and made it into a work of art, ironically addressing the idea of “selling art pieces” as well as the system of art itself. An exhibition of this body of work will be held in Paris in June.

–What is the driving force for you to continue creating art?

Christophe: The energy comes from the undying desire to find new toys and to be uncomfortably experimental. Picasso, an artist whom I admire, once said, “Even if I am in prison and have no pen and ink, I can still draw with my spit.” It is important to continue to create in some form, depending on the situation at any given moment.

For me, creating a book is a kind of conclusion of a chapter to move on to something new. I devote myself entirely to a project while working on it, and when I finish a book, I move on to the next chapter.

Art is not tailored but created out of free synergy of sensibilities

—Purple is a magazine that crosses all kinds of cultures and expands the possibilities of the magazine. You have collaborated with Wolfgang Tillmans, Mark Borthwick, Kyoji Takahashi, and other unique artists from the early stage of their careers. From what perspective did you choose to work with these artists?

Christophe: Whether it is Purple or Figaro, it is essential to work with talented photographers when creating a magazine. To make a piece of art, you have to work with artists. Tillmans, Borthwick, and Kyoji Takahashi, are all photographers, but they approach photography with a sense of freedom that is more akin to that of an artist. With Purple, I worked with them as if I were collaborating with an artist rather than a photographer.

–How would you describe the similarities between your senses in art piece creation and art direction?

Christophe: Kyoji Takahashi is a photographer, but he also draws, and I can’t agree with him more when he calls his paintings graffiti. Graffiti is full of energy. I am also a painter, but what I paint is more like graffiti than painting. Graffiti is not pretentious or “too much.” It is natural and spontaneous, reflecting instinct and drawn before thinking. The same is true of layout in my art direction.

A pure act of love, its beauty and power

–You also do art direction for Japanese photographers. How do you see the Japanese creative scene?

Christophe: Japanese photographers are truly amazing. As Nobuyoshi Araki said, “Photography is love for the subject,” I believe that the condition for a good photograph is how much you love the subject you photograph. I feel their strong love for the subjects from Japanese photographers, which is very beautiful.

When I made a book by Kyoji Takahashi, there was a photo of birds. I could feel his love for the birds in this photo, and I found it very beautiful. I think it is Japanese photographers who have the biggest love for their subjects.

–You have been unique beyond comparison as an art director for over 30 years. What is your long-term vision for the future?

Christophe: First of all, I will eat as much broccoli as possible (laughs). Well, I’m not joking because broccoli is a vegetable with excellent nutrients. Health is the first priority for good work. I lead a simple and healthy life, just as Haruki Murakami jogs for his health. As for alcohol, I just drink a glass of white wine once a week. In the morning, I eat cheese and broccoli instead of sugary foods. Eating cheese at night is not very good for our health.

As for my artistic practice, I want to keep creating paintings of red marks on a white canvas. Also, my great-grandfather Félicien Robert Challaye, a philosopher, published several books about Japan, and I would like to create a magazine with the same title as his book “Le Cœur japonais” (Paris, Payot, 1927). I would also like to do creative direction work in Japan. It is always important to be involved in more than one project because even when one of them is not working well, you can commit yourself to the other ones and keep a balance.

■EX PURPLE EX FIGARO
Stockists in Japan: Daikanyama Tsutaya, Ginza Tsutaya

Photography Kyoji Takahashi
Interview Akio Kunisawa
Edit Jun Ashizawa(TOKION)
Translation Shinichiro Sato(TOKION)

The post Interview with Christoph Brunnquell: Tireless and Borderless Pursuit of Art appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

The Japanese soldiers, such as Yonoi and Hara, abide by the belief of protecting their god—the totality and order of the nation—and eradicating a sense of individuality without questioning whether it’s right or wrong. Hara’s words, “I’m ready to die,” echo this mentality. The Japanese soldiers’ distorted sense of discipline manifests in the devious ways they treat the prisoners of war.

In contrast, the foreign prisoners, such as Lawrence and Hicksley, adapt to their environment and live to fulfill their individuality based on modern values like social norms and rationality. Celliers appears beautiful, heroic, and charismatic, but his spirit is haunted by his “original sin,” in which he betrayed his younger brother and, in turn, himself. Through his interactions with Hara, Lawrence discerns the Japanese soldiers’ ancestral worship, views on life and death—a primitive aspect at the root of the soldiers’ mindsets—and the existence of the individual spirit.

On Christmas night, the eve of Lawrence and Celliers’ scheduled execution, Hara pretends to be drunk, and playfully releases them, entrusting his individual intentions to the non-exist “Father Christmas,” the symbol of the festival. Although Yonoi scolds Hara for his actions, he gives him a cigarette in private, an imperial gift. 

In exchange for his own life, Celliers frees Yonoi’s tortured soul, saves the prisoners, and sows a seed in the hearts of everyone. And once again before his final moments, Hara releases the tearful Lawrence and his own soul with the words that night “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” and a radiant smile.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence condenses the heart of human emotion and dramatically depicts the individual’s introspection on life and the seeds of forgiveness and salvation that get passed from one person to the next, which is written about in the original book in detail. We spoke to Naofumi Higuchi, film director and the leading expert on Nagisa Oshima, about the film’s background and appeal. 

Naofumi Higuchi
Naofumi Higuchi is a film director and critic born in 1962. His book, Oshima Nagisa Zeneiga Hizou Shiryoshusei (Kokushokankokai), got first place in the Kinema Junpo Award 2021 for Best Film Book. Other notable books include Oshima Nagisa no Subete, Kurosawa Akira no Eigajutsu, Jisoji Akio Saiki no Garan, Akiyoshi Kumiko Chosho, Romanporno to Jitsuroku Yakuza Eiga, Suna no Utsuwa to Nippon Chinbotsu 70nendai Nihon no Chotaisakueiga, Showa no Koyaku Mou Hitorino Nihoneigashi, Good Morning, Godzilla Kantoku Honda Ishiro to Satsueijo no Jidai, and more. Higuchi has directed Intermission and The Master of Funerals. He also operates “Neko no Hondana,” a shared bookstore in Jimbocho where shelves by movie people such as “Nagisa Oshima library” and “Shinji Aoyama library “ are collected.
Photography cooperation “Neko no Hondana“

Achieving both radicalism and popularity through Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

— Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence deals with profound issues at its core. Simultaneously, each actor’s individuality shines, and the soundtrack has become a timeless masterpiece. Among Oshima’s films, this has especially garnered a wide range of fans. What makes this film unique? 

Naofumi Higuchi(Higuchi): Nagisa Oshima is a director that’s perceived differently according to the generation. During the golden era of filmmaking, the 1950s, he graduated with a degree in law from Kyoto University and joined Shochiku, the most conservative Japanese film production company, where he made films that broke the formula of traditional Japanese filmmaking with his subject matters and methods. By the 60s, he founded Souzousha, an independent film production company. Oshima’s unconventional works were embraced during the student protests and campaigns against the Japan-US Security Treaty, an era of upheaval and searching. As an innovative, leading figure, he was popular among the youth at the time. The director’s original fans looked up to him as a lone, antiauthoritarian champion, but he had the selfish desire to be both popular and radically fierce. 

Oshima had a persistent intent to show the people something radical in the form of something popular since the beginning of his film career. The postwar Japanese left didn’t gain popularity, was at an impasse, and eventually crumbled. Perhaps, fundamentally, he felt there was no point in appealing to oneself [as opposed to appealing to the masses]. For instance, he cast superstar singer Harry Belafonte as the Black airman in his socialist film, The Catch (1961), based on a book by Kenzaburo Oe, and for Diary of a Shinjuku Thief (1968), he cast underground icons like Tadanori Yokoo and Juro Kara. His works were very artistic, but he loaded them with journalistic codes so people would talk about them more. 

Two decades later, Oshima stuck to his intent and got the opportunity to create Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence with the international market and film festivals in mind. At first, he made a film proposal for a conventional literary epic with respected, famous domestic and foreign actors so that he could jump on the Japanese blockbuster bandwagon. However, Oshima couldn’t cast said actors because of differing ideas and schedules, so he cast Ryuichi Sakamoto and Takeshi Kitano at the last minute. Oshima didn’t know of Sakamoto initially, but he acutely understood people’s stage presence. This casting choice became one of the primary factors that gave the film exceptional artistry and mass appeal.

The popularity that Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence gained is one of the director’s achievements, considering his wish to reach an audience. Until then, people had this image that Oshima made arthouse films that were solemnly shown in small movie theaters. But the casting of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was so strong that it was decided it would be shown in big movie theaters that previously showed box office hits from abroad like E.T., despite the film’s artistic content. Some of his original fans criticized the film, saying the casting choice was a deliberate ploy to get attention, but young people responded with fervor. The director especially got a lot of support from young women. At the movie premiere of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, Oshima ran onto the stage like a Japanese idol to greet the audience of young women cheering, wearing a shirt by Kansai Yamamoto that said “THE OSHIMA GANG” with a bandanna on (laughs). 

Film critics said Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was a film portraying Western and Eastern cultures as opposite ends, but Oshima rejected the idea, saying he didn’t make such a thing. He hastily explained that he depicted people being drawn to each other, using a critical choice of words. Even if people are bound by various obligations, burdens, pride, certain encounters, and many other hardships, people will always irrationally be attracted to others, even if it doesn’t come to fruition. 

On the contrary, rather than perceiving the film as obtuse, the young women fans recognized the simple, true nature of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, despite the film being many of their first introduction to the director. The letters they sent him arduously detailed their observations. Oshima felt that they truly understood what the film was about and preserved the letters with great care. He replied to some of them too. Oshima and the women fans were in sync with each other in their haste and urgency to get to the heart of the matter without reason or pretense, embodied by his pesky, original fans. To this extent, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence could be seen as the materialization of Oshima’s ideal—the coexistence of radicalism and popularity.

An authentic presence, a baroque balance that has no predictable harmony  

–I believe Ryuichi Sakamoto and Takeshi Kitano delivered memorable performances because they didn’t have any acting experience and were able to reflect the impression they got from the scenes and the original book. How was Oshima able to create a complete film with non-actors?

Higuchi: Oshima thought it was boring to only work with people that strictly followed his orders. He didn’t ask the actors to deliver a technical performance; he wanted them to show him something unpredictable. Even if the inexperienced cast showed apprehension on set, Oshima told them there was nothing to worry about because he valued their command of presence, not their technical skills. He had faith in the cast. Being on the receiving end of that trust entails a lot of responsibility, and giving that trust as a director is an act that requires courage. That’s why the actors in his works deliver fresh, momentous performances only made possible with the exhilaration of leaving things up to chance. 

The true essence of acting in films doesn’t lie in the technique but in the actor’s presence: this was Oshima’s pet theory. He mentioned that his order of priority in casting was 1: amateur, 2: singer—he didn’t have 3 or 4—and 5: movie star. His best masterpiece with a starring amateur is probably Boy (1969). He visited an orphanage in Meguro in search of a boy to play the protagonist and selected a real orphan to play the part, thus depicting an authentic presence. 

Further, for the most part, Oshima only shot one or two takes per cut, which would surprise many seasoned actors, but this way, he was able to capture the raw quality of non-actors. David Bowie gives a remarkable performance through his own interpretation of his character in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, and I bet Oshima was delighted to witness his eccentric ways.

As a whole, the structure of the film is somewhat awkward. It has a sort of baroque imbalance, as if Oshima shot intricate scenes with momentum and quickly put them together. Take the scene where Lawrence and Celliers talk to each other over a wall in their separate cells. Lawrence recalls his past in short sentences, while Celliers’ recollection is told through elaborate visuals. Visually speaking, there’s a clear imbalance here. Oshima had shot the only scene that included a woman, which was Lawrence’s recollection, but it all got cut. This resulted from Oshima’s sensibility, as he believed the film would be stronger if it only had men, even if that meant it would lack balance. 

By using the cast, location, issues during the shoot, accidents, and changes to his advantage, Oshima completed Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence as something unpredictably brilliant. The filmmaking process parallels the story, in which people clash awkwardly and eventually develop a rapport.

The music and art that perfects the worldbuilding of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

—I get the impression that although the film is set in Java during wartime, the film’s location feels like it doesn’t exist anywhere in the world thanks to Ryuichi Sakamoto’s enigmatic score and the conceptual set design by art director Shigemasa Toda. I feel like Oshima was able to create a sort of utopia, which was what he wanted to develop through the film, because of the music and art department. 

Higuchi: Oshima first asked David Bowie to create the soundtrack of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, which is now a part of film music history, but he said no because he wanted to devote himself to his role. The film score was born because Sakamoto voluntarily asked if he could make it. Oshima didn’t instruct or direct the musician but instead anticipated what his creativity and unpredictability could create. The director was the polar opposite of directors like Akira Kurosawa, who had a complete vision in mind and gave meticulous instructions. 

Shigemasa Toda, the art director, had a distinctly singular aesthetic that people couldn’t process in an easy-to-understand way. So, most critics of his time didn’t recognize his true genius. That sense of restlessness in Oshima’s films is largely thanks to Toda’s art direction. There’s an anecdote: in Masaki Kobayashi’s film, Kwaidan (1964), it cost a massive amount of money to build the set, which was bursting with Toda’s strong point of view. Ultimately, the production company went bust because of that. After hearing this rumor, Oshima decided to meet Toda. He wondered what sort of weird person would come, but Toda was quiet and polite, to his surprise. It made him think, “Wow, this is the madman” (laughs). That’s how Oshima was drawn to him. Oshima’s works were very artistic, so he often had a modest budget, but Toda was so talented that he only needed a little money to demonstrate his vision. For instance, he would place something that shouldn’t belong in the scenery. He could change the film’s world, like flower arrangements, by making the set come alive. There’s no art director like him. 

When you look closely, the film has a strange aesthetic, but Toda didn’t embellish it for the sake of being strange; he derived the visuals from the essence of the film, so it all surprisingly works well. The most specific example is the main POW camp set. We, as the audience, treat it like it’s normal, but no POW camp looks like that. The set, made out of timber, concrete, and tents, is basically like a greenhouse made out of glass. In the original book, The Seed and the Sower, the camp is where seeds of peace get sown and nurtured in the hearts of people on opposing sides. In other words, it functions like a greenhouse. POW camps don’t look like that, but when David Bowie, Sakamoto, and Peter Barakan, who tagged along, visited the location to see the finished set, they didn’t think it was odd-looking because Toda understood the essence of the story. 

The significance behind showing a film that focuses on the true nature of humans today

–Young people today could have the opportunity to discover Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, now that it’s in theaters in 4K.

Higuchi: I feel like the themes Oshima put into Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, like “people get attracted to other people,” “the difficulty of obtaining true freedom,” and such, could be more easily understood today, which people call “the era of division and disparity” than when the film was first released. I especially think the young generation, whose awareness of LGBTQ+ people and issues is standard, will clearly and instantly understand the heart of this film, much like the young women who loved the film back in the day. Forty years after Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence’s first release, you can see how the young audiences that fill the seats in movie theaters feel genuinely moved. The times have finally caught up with this film. 

■Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence 4K restored version
Website: unpfilm.com/senmeri2023
©Nagisa Oshima Production

Direction Akio Kunisawa
Photography Hiroto Nagasawa
Translation Lena Grace Suda

The post The Presence of the Individual in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence: an Interview with Film Director and Critic, Naofumi Higuchi appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

In the fast-changing New York, Dashwood Books has existed since 2005 with a consistent attitude as a bookstore specializing in photography books. When I visited the store, photographer Juergen Teller was in the store and Susuda was offering consultation to him. There was a tense dialogue going on between them, in which she used her knowledge and experience to understand the image Teller wanted to create and to propose a photobook that would help him expand upon his idea.

Later, Nick Sethi, a photographer who lives nearby, visited the store. A few days earlier, Dashwood Books had hosted a book signing for his book, to which many artists, including Peter Sutherland and Jason Nocito, came to celebrate the publication. The event was just full of people from all walks of life who came and went in the small semi-underground space.

What is the importance of physical stores, places, communities, and dialogues in a society where information technology has developed and many people prioritize their own convenience over others? Why does she continue to publish photobooks using analog methods?

As a manager of Dashwood Books since its establishment, Susuda has been involved in consulting and publishing with a focus on inspiring people’s hearts and minds. The conversation with her reminds us of the significance of capturing the essence precisely through substantial dialogues and passing it down to future generations.

Miwa Susuda
Susuda moved to the U.S. in 1995 and is a graduate of the State University of New York with a Master’s degree in Museum Studies. She has worked as an intern at the Japan Society, Asia Society, Brooklyn Museum, and Christie’s. Since 2006, she has been manager of Dashwood Books and director of Session Press, and has given lectures on contemporary Japanese photography at events like Visual Study Workshop. She also has contributed to various photography magazines and books in Japan and abroad, including IMA, in which she covers a variety of topics on the world of photography overseas. Since 2021, she has held workshops at the Penumbra Foundation in New York City, served as an advisor for the portfolio review at the photography course of Parsons School of Design in New York City, and was the jury of “The Paris Photo – Aperture Foundation Photography Award” in 2022.
https://www.dashwoodbooks.com
https://www.sessionpress.com
Instagram: @miwasusuda

As a “hub” for photography, Dashwood Books plays a central role in its capacity as a bookstore.

–Please tell us about how Dashwood Books was founded.

Miwa Susuda (Susuda): Dashwood Books was established in September 2005 in the Noho area of New York by David Strettell, who was the cultural director of the Magnum Photos.
He thought he wanted to concentrate on his photography consulting business, so he left Magnum. And before establishing the store, he happened to stop by a bookstore called On Sundays in Tokyo.

David originally thought that he needed a real place to do photography consulting, and when he came across On Sundays, he saw the potential in a bookstore with its sophisticated space and highly-specialized book selection.

David was considering various locations but decided to start the store on Bond Street, where it is now located, partly because he had lived in the East Village and partly through the introduction of a friend. This neighborhood was also home to Robert Frank’s studio and the houses where Mapplethorpe and Basquiat had lived, and these surroundings were probably important in establishing the store.

–When he established Dashwood Books, were there other independent bookstores specializing in photography books?

Susuda: Around the time Dashwood Books was established, photography was just beginning to attract people’s attention, and in New York City, galleries specializing in photography began to open in Chelsea in the early 2000s. Andrew Roth, a specialist in the history of photography, published The Book of 101 books, a sort of encyclopedia of photobooks, and more and more people were developing their interest in photography and photobook. However, there were few independent bookstores, and the majority of bookstores were large chains, so starting an independent bookstore specializing in photography was something very special.

There was a store in Soho that specialized in photography books called “Photographer’s Place (1979 – 2001)” that was particularly popular around 1990, but unfortunately it closed before Dashwood Books was established. So it is not that there were no independent bookstores at all; there was a climate in which photographers and creators seek out art books.

In New York, there have always been people who want to get inspiration from visuals, so there is an inevitable need for a place where they can share their interests.

–Was it that kind of characteristic of New York that made him believe the bookstore would be successful when he visited On Sundays?

Susuda: At first, he had no experience in retail and no knowledge of how to deal with customers, so he started the business fearfully with about half the space he has now. David is originally from England, so I think he tends to prefer edgy and unique things to major things, which might have something to do with a kind of Britishness. I think this attitude is based on a rebellious spirit against the blind belief that the majority is right and makes sense.

Therefore, our initial goal was not to sell anything like Amazon but to propose what we thought was good in a more professional way to people who would understand it, and I don’t think that has changed even now.

In the past, Photographer’s Place dealt mainly in works by well-known artists whose names were mentioned in museums and auction houses, such as Walker Evans, André Kertész, and Edward Weston. Accordingly, most of the collectors who flocked to that store were also conservative, preferring classic photography.

David, on the other hand, was looking for photographs that moved people even if they were a little outside of that sort of tradition or were memorable even if shocking in a way. Of course he also liked Kertész and Evans, but what made him very unique and ambitious was his focus on the contemporary rather than the established photographers.

–David’s consistent attitude has formed the personality of Dashwood Books, right?

Susuda: When I joined Dashwood Books, I thought David was a tastemaker. He always introduced what he thought was good with confidence, regardless of pre-existing evaluations, and that is what actually moved people. There are cases where photographers influenced by the books he introduced sometimes work on similar visual expressions in magazines or campaigns they are involved in, which makes me think that he is influencing the creations of major industries.

Another thing that Dashwood Books has always valued is to be a place for up-and-coming artists before fame comes to them. We have always actively supported these artists, even though they are often negatively associated with subcultures and the undergroundness. That’s why our collaborators as diverse as Gucci and the luxury hotel The Mercer trust David’s vision and are keen to work with him.

In this way, Dashwood Books is loved by people who are looking for something new, including corporations and fashion brands, because of David’s consistent attitude.

–When David started consulting on photography, what made him decide to do it through photobooks and bookstores rather than through galleries, for example?

Susuda: I think it was because bookstores can create a more democratic environment. I think Dashwood Books is an open place for creative people regardless of income level, from people who just reads books to wealthy people who can spend ten thousand dollars in a few minutes. The clientele includes artists, photographers, designers, academics, museum curators, and sometimes also trend-conscious young people.

If this place were to take the form of a gallery, it would only be able to introduce a limited type of artists with a certain degree of education, experience, and scarcity value that collectors would want to see. In addition, only those with plenty of money will have the opportunity to see the works, and this will limit the possibilities of communicating the great qualities of the works. I believe that art, by its very nature, is sometimes full of antithesis and avant-garde spirit, and is a means for those who have difficulty being accepted by society to express themselves. And there should be places that provide opportunities for people to come into contact with it. The best way to do that was through bookstores.

–Dashwood Books deals in books by Japanese photographers. How do you think they are perceived in New York?

Susuda: I think it is rare for bookstores in New York to actively sell and introduce photobooks by Japanese artists to clients in the U.S. and Europe.

Of course, there are stores in the U.S. and Europe that sell vintage Japanese photobooks, but David introduced books by artists who were not well known in New York at first, like Shinro Ohtake, for example, if he thought they were really good. I don’t think they would have been able to find Ohtake at an auction gallery or a bookstore that deals in Japanese photobooks from a commercial perspective.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, David used to visit Japan at least once a year to tour bookstores. Instead of perceiving photographs or photobooks based on history or information, he rather sees and understands them with his own eyes.

–What kind of place would you say Dashwood Books is?

Susuda: I feel that Dashwood Books is not only a bookstore in New York but also a place where people from all over the world who are fascinated by photography and photobooks come togather. As a center for photography, I think it plays as important a role as Paris Photo and the Aperture Foundation do.

When the pandemic broke out, many media outlets questioned the significance of physical stores, and many people left New York during the lockdown because they didn’t see the point of paying high rent in New York. Still, I believed in the necessity of physical stores, so I was very anxious during the period when I could not open the store, but I endured it patiently until the restart. And when the pandemic settled down and the store reopened, the creators who remained in New York immediately paid visits to the store.

The customers of Dashwood Books tend to be very interactive, so we need to communicate with them in a way that AI or Amazon can’t. I think the significance of a physical store is to be a place where we can share our expertise through dialogue, rather than just introducing books from a marketing perspective. There are many discoveries gained through conversation, and there are certain types of photos and photobooks that can only be encountered from a different perspective than marketing or AI.

Creativity is something that can turn 1 + 1 into 3 or 4, and I think it is often brought about by casual conversations and coincidences. A physical store can generate such dialogue. I think that is one of the charms of Dashwood Books.

In addition, Dashwood Books has staffs from various nations and backgrounds, including those from Mexico, France, and the United States. Although we are a small company, we feel that our diverse culture and the fact that we utilize our individual identities are important factors in attracting people to our store.

Staying close to people and conveying our worldview

–How did you start working at Dashwood Books?

Susuda: Before working at Dashwood Books, I worked at art museums and auction houses. Those experiences helped me figure out how I could survive in the New York art world. The three things I learned were to have a specialty, to work in a field where I could use 100% of my background, and to put myself in an environment that could complement those two things.

When I was a teenager, I set the goal of having my own position and job in the art world. I thought photography was the best choice because it has a shorter history than painting or sculpture, so I thought I would have a chance to do something new. On top of that, since Japanese photography is somewhat highly regarded overseas, I thought it would be best to specialize in photography as a Japanese working in New York. However, an environment that would back me up was something I hadn’t found yet back then.

At the time, it was impossible to find any top curator at museums, galleries, or auction houses who had a profound knowledge of photography by Japanese artists. While I was interning at the Bruce Silverstein Gallery in Chelsea, a gallery specializing in photography, the director happened to introduce me to David of Dashwood Books. Through working with David, I was able to understand his respect and love for Japanese photography, and I was convinced that Dashwood Books was an environment that fulfilled the three conditions mentioned above, so I decided to make my dream come true at this place.

–I think book consulting is one of the features that makes Dashwood Books very unique. Please tell us a bit about this.

Susuda: At Dashwood Books, we deal with photographs and photobooks, which we believe are works that move people’s hearts, so we think it is important to serve each customer in a way that we can build an ongoing relationship, rather than just selling books. I try to understand what they are looking for through conversations, and then suggest photobooks that will meet their expectations.

I have noticed that my background helps me a lot when I am doing book consulting. Japanese people are good at reading between the lines and the atmosphere, so I can communicate with people by imagining the meaning behind their words, rather than understanding them only on the surface. Instead of approaching customers in a logical manner, I stay close to them and make my suggestion based on the understanding of what is essential to their needs, and this is where I believe the power beyond the use of words comes into play.

–You have established a publishing house called “Session Press” to promote the works of Japanese and Asian photographers in New York. Please tell us about how you started it.

Susuda: There is a certain level of recognition in New York about the photographs and photobooks of Japanese artists such as Daido Moriyama and Eikoh Hosoe, but there is limited information about them. So I started Session Press, hoping that I could introduce them through publications.

For example, Mao Ishikawa, an Okinawan photographer, published a wonderful photobooks in the 1980s, but it is difficult to see them abroad because they are out of print. We published her book to let many people abroad know the sincerity, strength and brightness of her work, as well as the beauty of being one’s own self that her work appreciates.

We believe that a photobook, like an exhibition, can tell a story, and thus can itself be an opportunity to convey an artist’s worldview to a wider audience. I made books of Momo Okabe and Daisuke Yokota because I thought their photographs were truly wonderful, and I feel that I was able to help them gain recognition overseas.

Publishing is also a political statement for me. I have seen that Asians are not well recognized in the U.S., not only in art, but in other fields as well, and I continue to publish because I want to contribute to breaking the cycle of under-recognition. I feel that in the field of photobook publishing, Asian and Japanese backgrounds are fairly valued, so I hope to show the world the pride and creativity of Asian and Japanese people through our continued effort in publishing photobooks.

The significance of real stores, communities, and dialogue

–What do you think about having a real store and producing photobooks in a society where information technology has developed and images can be easily exchanged online?

Susuda: I feel that today, with the greater influence of social media and influencers, people tend to be just taking in information as it comes, and are less likely to experience and think about things on their own. Also, many people seek only what is convenient and efficient, or become too greedy. While marketing-oriented creations and promotions are understandable as a business model, the field of art should be more than that. If artists themselves and the buyers have only that kind of mindset, then I don’t think the true quality of the work can be conveyed.

I’m in charge of consulting work in Dashwood Books and also produce photobooks for Session Press, but I don’t think you can create something that moves people if you approach your work only in pursuit of efficiency. I place more emphasis on moving people’s hearts than on whether our publication sells well, so when I feel that someone’s work has the power to touch people’s hearts, even if it is outside the norm for society, I produce a photobook out of it with the hope of conveying that emotion. This is because I believe that what people remember in their hearts and minds is all about how they feel. What evokes our emotions is not accurate facts. A flesh-and-blood memory is synonymous with how much something resonates with each individual, and I think that is what art is all about.

I also feel that we have become overly sensitive to the voices of social media and the eyes of the public in many situations. There is a strong trend toward the idea of “modesty, righteousness, and grace,” which can be seen everywhere in all aspects of our life. As far as photography is concerned, even if it does not fit with the idea above, if it is something that moves people’s hearts, I am keen to put it out into the world. In other words, human beings are more complex, irrational, uncertain, and fragile, and I believe that sealing off such aspects of human nature is the opposite of what art should be about.

–Real places, physical things, and communication are all the more important because you are dealing with something that moves people’s hearts.

Susuda: Nan Goldin was very complimentary when I made Momo Okabe’s photobook, and Frank Ocean loved Mao Ishikawa’s book so much. I can get these reactions directly precisely because I produce photobooks and work in a real bookstore.

As something that can embody the artist’s worldview vividly, a photobook appeals to the viewer’s senses and fully evokes inspiration through the feel, the sound of turning the pages, the weight, and the smell of the printing and paper. As long as photographers exist, I believe photobooks will continue to exist.

Also in terms of music, I think that the emotion we feel when actually listening to live music is fundamentally different from that of listening to digital music. There are cases where digital is better, but if you truly want to understand something or be more moved by it, I think it is important to experience it first-hand.

My mission is to connect with people through photobooks as a platform, and of course, I want to fulfill this mission throughout my life, but I think it is too selfish to live as a person who thinks only about myself and narrows my own vision as if I shut myself behind a closed door. While it is a matter of course that I take care of myself, I want to never lose the most important spirit of humanity, which is to be considerate to others and attentive to what they are feeling.

–The production of your photobooks seems to be done through a very time-consuming process using analog methods, why do you choose to use these methodologies?

Susuda: I incorporate these methods partly as the antithesis of selfishness, but also because I believe that the analog method of production is the best way to move people. So no matter how much time and effort it takes, we make books very carefully.

In terms of Wing Shya’s book that we are currently working on, the artist shared about 2,000 photos with us, and we discuss many times to decide which images to use. Once the concept of the book is decided, we narrow down the images to be used and print about 500 images on paper to organize them. In the editing process, we make use of every part of the room, including the floor and walls. So my production process is totally different from the ones of other publishers, as most publishers these days use only a monitor screen to sort the images.

Once the general idea of the photobook is determined, I make a mock-up, which is the phase where I check how the book will actually look. Many things can only be understood through this process, so I always make several types of them. Through trial and error, the blueprint in the early stages of production evolves, leading to a better photobook.

Session Press is currently working on a book by Daido Moriyama and a Chinese photographer named Wing Shya. Wing Shya has been involved in photography and graphic design for film director Wong Kar-wai since the 1990s. While Christopher Doyle is best known for his visuals for Wong Kar-wai, Wing Shya has also made a significant contribution to his films as a location photographer, leaving behind many wonderful still images. He has also taken many snapshots, so we are working on the concept of Hong Kong in the 1990s as seen from his point of view. Now, Hong Kong is going through drastic changes. We are not particularly interested in creating something nostalgic because of that, but we hope that our work will somehow be supportive of what is going on there.

–At what point can you say that the photobook is completed?

Susuda: The production of a photobook is a collaboration between the photographer, designer, and myself. We select the appropriate designer for the book and photographer, and the three of us proceed through a series of careful discussions. I think it is complete when everyone is satisfied with the final product.

A photobook is not only about photographs, but also about printing, paper, design, and text. The important thing is not for someone to take the initiative, but for all three of us to respect each other and proceed in a balanced manner. However, we proceed with production, placing great importance on the photographer’s intentions as the most significant factor. Especially when it comes to design and texts, it is important to incorporate sensibilities outside of Japan and Asia in order to gain worldwide recognition. In that sense, we would like to create forms of expression where three parties generate a synergistic effect.

–Photographer Nick Sethi is producing a photobook with photographs of Dashwood Books’ customers for a publishing house he founded (*1). How did he come to publish this book?

Susuda: When Nick started the publishing house, he asked me if he could create a photobook using my Instagram photos. I was really surprised because I am not a photographer.

Nick has been coming to Dashwood Books since he was 18 years old, and I have watched him grow throughout the years, by dealing in his own zines at Dashwood Books. He truly appreciated the community that Dashwood Books and I have formed, and he wanted to make a photobook of them because he knew there must be many Dashwood Books customers who were feeling the same way. He even told me, “Dashwood is family to us.” So we appreciate that he gave us such a great offer.

When I look at the finished book, I see that the people in the photos all have really nice smiles on their faces, which is not necessarily a sign of good photography, but rather commemorative photos that capture the moments they bought their favorite book through conversation. Each of facial expressions captured in the photos shows how much they love Dashwood Books, and I think we have created a wonderful book in which you can get a real sense of how rich our place and community are from every single photograph.

–What do you want to do with Dashwood Books in the future?

Susuda: Exactly as we have done so far, we would like to continue to grow as a creative community where we can exchange ideas with our customers, and at the same time, we hope to keep on publishing wonderful books so that our list of publications will be as valuable as the place we are in.

Dashwood Books plans to open a gallery in the East Village aside from the current space. It will not be a gallery in the traditional sense, but more like a unique place that will deal with installations and experimental works. I think one of the best things about Dashwood Books is that it actively takes in new works by talented artists who are going to break through, so I want to be able to nurture those artists.

(※1) Some Of Miwa’s Favorite Dashwood Friends Of The Day, a photobook, was published by Nick Sethi’s publishing house DAK0TA and the book signing event was held at this year’s “New York Art Book Fair” organized by Printed Matter.
https://www.dashwoodbooks.com/pages/books/24058/nick-sethi-miwa-susuda/some-of-miwa-s-favorite-dashwood-friends-of-the-day

Direction Akio Kunisawa
Photography Ayako Moriyama

The post Interview with Miwa Susuda, Manager of Dashwood Books, on the Importance of Real Store and the Potential of Photobooks appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Christian Hidaka was born in Noda, Chiba, in 1977 and is a painter based in London. Made with his own blend of pigments, his paintings have a vibrancy and intricacy unique to tempera paints and are rife with references from Western/Eastern art history, theater, architecture, collective consciousness, magic, and personal memories. Hidaka’s paintings are a manifestation of illumination, perception, and the crossover of time and physical distance. The characters in his works—his motifs—could be considered metaphors of ancient times, recent times, and the present day. But you could also feel the warmth of his memories. For instance, Hidaka’s references to cubism by Picasso or Matisse, the costumes and stage design of Parade by the Ballet Russes, abstract Islamic motifs, and a Japanese-like woman come from different eras and subjects. However, his paintings have a still yet varied ambiance thanks to the artist’s use of distinct colors reminiscent of fresco paintings from the Renaissance. 

Drawing from the theme, visitors, Hidaka used the entire exhibition space as one frame of a painting and completed the exhibition by going back and forth between his paintings and the layout of the space. Among his works are several time axes and scales that progress simultaneously. The visitor can walk through the exhibition and see the works from various angles and perspectives, which brings different space-time sensibilities to the fore. Rather than creating a conventional space where visitors look at paintings, it functions as a space where the visitor exchanges perspectives along with the experience. Moreover, the paintings, which the artist describes as Eurasian, utilize perspective and oblique projection techniques, a study of the state of the Eurasian continent, in which Europe and Asia coexist and share many nations yet remain separate. They’re one response to our world in which hybrid things coexist. 

Takeshi Murata was born in 1974 in Chicago and is a cutting-edge glitch artist based in Los Angeles. His works, born from his interest in CGI rendering and decentralized digital media, capture everyday things from a different origin and present the shifts in reality as the weakening of the boundaries in space-time. Those who view his work will witness their (sub)conscious floating. Characters in familiar shapes fusing and dissolving in an immaterial manner and repeatedly growing and disguising themselves; a video where everyday landscapes are added with a collage-like effect and surreal dimensions; a no-fuss, still life in which Bowman from 2001: A Space Odyssey has transcended dimensions and landed in an unusual space that’s eerily similar to reality. The more alienated from reality, the more CGI becomes clean and mutable; it creates a subconscious reality. 

The fixed idea that CGI equates to an isolated, parallel world that develops inside a computer screen has been long overthrown. Murata sometimes adopts a vanitas-styled still life while projecting videos onto screens in the city at other times. He also turns his works into sculptures sometimes. By doing so, the artist calls CGI into the real world and creates alternative opportunities for contact. At “Visitors,” there’s an interaction between Hidaka’s work and the exhibition space, and the visitor can delve into their own (sub)conscious world, which opens up in Murata’s works. We spoke to the two artists about their exhibition.

Chrisitan Hidaka
Christian Hidaka was born in 1977 in Noda and is currently based in London. In pursuit of a new form of painting, he paints his complex images using a method that links different eras and spaces. Hidaka creates Eurasian paintings, a hybrid spatial structure combining chiaroscuro from the West and oblique projection from the East to blend two cultures, and murals. His recent exhibitions include “Tambour Ancien” at Galerie Michel Rein in Paris in 2021, “Set for Four Players, a Sundial and a Bear” (with Raphael Zarka) at Fabian Lang in Zurich in 2021, and “Unhooked a Star” at the National Museum of Contemporary Art of Romania in Romania in 2018.

Takeshi Murata
Takeshi Murata was born in Chicago in 1974 and is currently based in Los Angeles. He’s known as a glitch art pioneer, where he adds visual effects by utilizing errors that occur when compressing videos. Murata sees CGI as a meditation on image-making and the digital afterlife. He explores his brand of realism by skillfully manipulating many digital media, from animation and film to CGI and NFTs. His recent notable exhibitions include “Living Room” at Yamamoto Gendai in Tokyo in 2017, “Infinite Doors” at The Empty Gallery in Hong Kong in 2017, and “Takeshi Murata” at Halsey McKay Gallery in New York and Kunsthall Stavanger in Norway in 2015.

Christian Hidaka: the process of creating paintings is art itself

–As the modes of artistic expression diversify, why do you continue to paint?

Christian Hidaka: Even today, there’s meaning in humans using their hands to paint. It’s not something you can automate. 

I have a deep interest in the history of symbols, and making art with an understanding of the flow of the times is always in my mind. I’ve been following the historical art movements, from the Renaissance period to 20th-century cubism. In each period of painting history, each art piece is established as a complete work. For example, perspective drawing was invented during the Renaissance by people recognizing the viewer’s perspective. Oblique projection can be seen in Japanese and Chinese picture scrolls, where drawings on a flat surface develop into various time axes and spaces by stretching them to the side. I’m attempting to create a new type of painting by combining these different expressions. One of my artistic pursuits is to create works that don’t feel like déjà vu by using universal techniques in painting. 

The biggest reason I continue painting is that the speed at which I make paintings match the rhythm and pace of my lifestyle. I spend a lot of time on each painting. Whenever I paint, I don’t use readily available paints. I create my own from pigments. The paintings are two-dimensional, but I layer around ten to 15 paints in one painting; I paint as though I’m making a building on a flat surface. My process, from making paints to creating paintings, is essential to me, and the process itself is a piece of work.

–What are your thoughts on the motifs in your paintings?

Hidaka: Many of my exhibited works are based on the theme of theatrical space, and I use paintings by other artists as motifs. Some examples are Picasso’s “Harlequin” from his rose-colored era and Cocteau’s ballet piece, Parade, for which Picasso did the art direction. Another frequent motif in my work is the Basel drum. At first, it was used on the battlefield during the Napolean era, but street performers in Paris started using it to gather a crowd. The drum can be seen in Picasso’s works, which I mentioned right now, and goes beyond space and time. 

By scattering painterly motifs from various eras, from the Renaissance to the present day, the painting will continue to progress even after it’s complete. The painting is one foundation, and from the references scattered throughout it and by connecting to different times and places, my image expands. The characters are performing the original history of each artist’s work, using my paintings as a stage. Also, even if the other person has a different first language, we can share a mutual understanding if we have the same context. I’m very interested in expressing this effect through my paintings. Regarding the composition of my exhibited works, I placed the perspective diagonally, like in Eastern paintings, not face-on. Eastern paintings have a distinct sense of time and spatial structure; one trait is how they don’t draw shadows. I created a new sense of space in the paintings by adding three-dimensional shadows to an Eastern composition. 

In the middle of Siparium is Medusa. I think of Medusa turning those who look at her into stone as a metaphor for her robbing their creativity away. If you look back at the mythology, the interpretation is that Perseus (man) had to cut Medusa’s (woman) head off to preserve creativity. In my version, the roles are reversed. Medusa is a man, and the woman uses a mirror as a shield to defeat Medusa. The world that’s reflected in the mirror is also flipped. Meaning everything is reversed. 

This sort of expression can be effective because the viewer and artist share the same context. The #MeToo movement started when I began working on this painting, and I also thought about this issue deeply. I felt like women would turn into stone—be stripped of their creativity—because of the pressure they were under. The tale I’m referencing is ancient, but I knew a gender imbalance could occur in the present day, even if times have changed. 

–What did you feel from having your exhibition in Japan?

Hidaka: Not only can anyone visit Ginza Maison Hermès Le Forum, making this exhibition a public space, but it also gives artists a space to try creating new works. This opportunity allowed me to challenge myself to create something I couldn’t in my studio.

My challenge was to express the exhibition space itself as a piece of art, and I could do that because of the existence of spaces like Ginza Maison Hermès Le Forum. I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to hold exhibitions during covid, so this was a wonderful experience. 

Takeshi Murata: it’s not about going to and from a place—anyone anywhere can become a visitor if you take time into account, including the past and future

–How did you start becoming interested in digital media?

Takeshi Murata: I used to study film, but realistically, it would’ve been challenging to make films on my own since you need funding and other people to make them. Around that time (the mid-90s), some musicians used computer software to create noise and edit feedback sounds on the guitar. They approached music in an unconventional way. I imagined it would be fun to communicate that sort of noise through visual art in digital media. Besides, I could make digital media on my own. 

In the beginning, I used the glitch effect, where visual elements were missing, and I would make errors on purpose. But as a result of testing out various digital techniques, I landed on making works using 3D software. I made still life-ish works using 3D CGI because you can create an unrealistic, immaculate look with the rendering process using software. 

Also, I made my video art, Donuts, from videos I took of my wife, daughter, dog, and a neighborhood taco shop and donut shop that I always walk past. It was an experiment in the effects born from making a collage of everyday, familiar places on Dimension and making them look like a different space, like another big city.

My Larry series, my recent attempt at using simulation techniques, is an animation about a dog named Larry. He has somewhat of a nervous, unassured look and can’t control his body alone. I, the creator, have complete control of him. The aim is to apply real-life movements of objects onto CGI and construct a story that’s only possible within that world.

–What was the catalyst for you to develop an interest in sound art and noise music? 

Murata: I went to Lollapalooza around 1994 because a friend of my friend’s mother got a ticket. Bands like the Smashing Pumpkins were popular then, but I couldn’t get into them. I was going through an edgy phase (laughs). Boredoms came out to the stage as the opening act. I believe it was part of their American tour. The venue was in the middle of nowhere in Denver, Colorado, and they played early, but there were only press photographers in the crowd. EYƎ-san from the Boredoms kept diving into the photographers because there was no crowd (laughs). 

They made sounds I had never heard before. They sampled a kid’s piano and used instruments in a way you usually wouldn’t, and that was inspiring. That was the first time I encountered a new approach to music, and I still remember it clearly.

–Did being inspired by that sort of music have a direct link to your using digital media?

Murata: Yes. The inspiration I got from collages and noise music connected to visual art, like Shinro Ohtake.

I feel like the musical element in my works is strong. It’s like the direction of my videos and music are the same. With noise music, I like Hair Police from Lexington and Wolf Eyes—music from the 90s to early 2000s. 

I’ve been collaborating with a former member of Hair Police, Robert Beatty, for a long time, starting with the soundtrack for my early works. When I was around 20, I said that I enjoyed trading CDs and works I like with others during an interview I gave to an online magazine. Robert read my interview and sent me a CD he made, and I sent him a video. That’s how our relationship started. It was like we were exchanging inspirations with each other. He also makes cover art. A recent example is The Weeknd’s album. 

–How did you discover your sensibility, one that says that reality isn’t still but is rather fluid and can get dissolved and eroded?

Murata: Through producing digital media, I realized I could create hallucinations and psychedelic images I can’t consciously create every day, such as the flow of time regarding time and spatial awareness and sensibilities like the loss of things we take for granted. This discovery has influenced my understanding of reality. 

On the other hand, compared to my younger years, I can now look at things from a universal perspective ever since I had my daughter and became a parent. Even in my everyday life, I can sense various circulations, the shifts of generations, and changes that occur with repetition. From this, I realize now that what I think is reality or the things I believe in can change and become suspicious or brittle.

How can I perceive things that can easily change in time and space? It’s not about going to and from a country or area. Anyone anywhere can become a visitor if you include the past and future, at any time. To cherish universal emotions beyond time and space and places that are your home or hometown; this might be the answer to this exhibition’s theme. 

■”Visitors” by Christian Hidaka and Takeshi Murata
Date: Until January 31st
Venue: Ginza Maison Hermès Le Forum
Address: Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 5-4-18, 9th floor
Opening hours: 11 AM to 7 PM (last entry: 6:30 PM)
Closed: December 8th *follows Hermès Ginza’s business hours
Entrance fee: Free

Photography Shuhei Shine
Interview Akio Kunisawa
Translation Lena Grace Suda
Edit Jun Ashizawa(TOKION)

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