..May 2007 Tokyo, Japan..
Gallery EF
..I watched a girl sign the gallery guest book for an hour. I don’t know what she wrote because it was in Japanese. I appreciate the sincere interest everyone I spoke to at the opening showed. It’s been a good emotional experience.
All the struggles and tremendous expenses were worth it. The feeling was worth every Pound, $, or Yen. Now it’s time to dream it up all over again.
..June 2007 New York..
Little Brooklyn:
Sorry for the long radio silence. Congratulations on the Exotic World accomplishments. A couple of days before I left Tokyo I told friends Little Brooklyn will bring the crown back home this year. Was very close. Must have been a great performance. Now think I have fortune teller type of powers. It was great to hear your performance was a big success.
Thanks for the message about the gallery exhibition. I have to thank you once again for the opportunity to take that photo. It was the catalyst for the project. Prior to that photo all the other performers I was working with didn’t know where I was coming from with the project. I was seriously thinking about scrapping the project before I took that photo. I owe you a huge thank you.
As for Tokyo, the exhibition is still up for 10 more days. It was a large opening at the gallery. I was shocked at the reception and response to all of it. There were so many people at the opening Cherry Typhoon had to perform on in a small space in the gallery. The exhibition has gotten good reviews. The exhibition was a part of what they call photography month in Tokyo. There are about 400 galleries participating.
More good news is that the exhibition will be shown for a month in Shanghai. The Tokyo gallery has a sister gallery there. It’s all been a nice surprise. I have a lot of the small promotional fliers with your photo on it. I want to pass those along to you. Also want to show you the video tape of the exhibition and still photos. Your photos is hanging off the ceiling and is visible from the street. I stood outside the gallery on afternoon watching bikes pass and stare at the photo.
I’m fighting jet lag right now. But I hope to get back to a normal routine this weekend. Maybe next week we can meet up one night and I can give you all the fliers and show you the video tape. Thanks again. Sorry for being so hard to get in contact with. The exhibition was a long stressful but worthwhile process. Hope your well. Take care.
Paule
..May 2007 Gallery EF Tokyo, Japan..
Everyone who made this exhibition a reality at Gallery EF. Thank you.
..May 2007 Tokyo..
Gallery EF in Asakusa and sitting in the Kingdom of Gamo a day before the opening of Striptease Burlesque at Gallery EF.
..May 2007 Tokyo..
Poster from Striptease Burlesque photo exhibition.
Striptease Burlesque photo exhibition
Gallery EF
2-19-18 Kaminarimon
Taito-ku
Tokyo, 111-0034
Japan
May 31st-June 21st, 2007
..September 2008 Nagasaki..
“I realized that I must live on behalf of those who died unwillingly. I have to tell what happened, so they will not die in vain.”
Sumiteru Taniguchi-san
..September 2008 Epicenter, Nagasaki..
Yamawaki-san was the 3rd portrait taken on my first day of photographing in Nagasaki. I photographed him at the atomic bomb epicenter close to the other locations I photographed the entire project. All of the portrait locations were taken within 300 feet of each other.
Yamawaki-san’s portrait was one of the more challenging portraits. He had a very serious demeanor. It wasn’t until seeing the print at the exhibition in Gallery EF did I see the softness in his eyes.
In the gallery, the serious tone on his face felt lighter and more reflective. A lot less tension in his face than in my original thoughts. His shoulders on the print were relaxed and softer around the edges.
What also felt different about his portrait and conversation was he was the only Hibakusha who spoke English. It brought a different dynamic to our friendship. Not that I felt more comfortable with him because we spoke the same language. I was very comfortable communicating in Japanese through a translator with everyone I met.
..March 2009 Gallery EF, Asakusa, Tokyo..
Interview for Tokyo Art Beat about From Above portrait exhibition, Nagasaki atomic bomb Survivors and Tokyo fire bombing Survivors.
Published in March 2008 while the exhibition was shown at Gallery EF in Asakusa, Tokyo.
