An Exclusive Interview With
HARUHIKO KAWAGUCHI
BY CATALIN CROITORU
“I want to capture love as it really is and the bathtub is an ideal vehicle to encapsulate the vivid reality in my images.
A grand theme in mankind is Love, and I, Photographer Hal, am challenging the majestic theme!”
“Those in power are continually guilty of segregation and discrimination, can we realize peace under such conditions?
You who are standing on the earth, no matter where you are, love the person in front of you. From two people to a group, a town to a community, a city to a country, from border to border, the ring of love shall prevail.
I have started to create my ring of love in the city of Tokyo, believing that some day a world peace without segregation and discrimination will come true.”
Haruhiko Kawaguchi, Born, educated and currently residing in Tokyo.
“Living through my university days I was starving for encounters with different people from other cultures around the world. As soon as I had the opportunity I left Japan and began my travels with a special focus on the Middle East and India. It was here that I first became aware of my passion for photography. The camera became the key to overcoming shyness and limited local language abilities and I could in some way communicate with the people I met.
After graduating from university I joined an advertising production company in Tokyo and this enabled me to acquire a much wider set of photographic skills. The assignments were varied and unique including celebrities and established fashion icons. It was the crucible of my technical ability and the focus in my work soon became the people”.
At some point in his career as a photographer, kawaguchi began wrapping people up in plastic sheets.
He would then vacuum them for no more than 10 seconds – for safety measures, of course – until their photo could be taken. Later on, he’d pot to wrap even larger objects, such as scooters, cars, and even houses.
Most of the time, such places were chosen as the open spaces where the lovers, or the families, used to go more often.
Familiar spaces and places. Parts of their regular day-to-day life. From such an “irregular” point of view as
a creator, the artist first scouted the best locations.
After that, with the volunteering couples or/and families, he installed the plastic all around. Everywhere!
With the wind’s help, those sheets were sticking even better to the persons and objects. That used to be the moment when the shutter of the camera was pressed. The result? A series of never seen before pictures with people hugging each other or just standing but covered in plastic, like the vacuum-sealed items on the grocery shelves…
Art market magazine: Thank you for accepting to take this “ride” with Art Market Magazine through your life and your photographic career.
Haruhiko Kawaguchi, also known as “Photographer Hal,” you have an ongoing project -simply called “?”.
The images that are part of this photo-journey are black & white; what is this project’s meaning, and why has it such a simple name?
Haruhiko Kawaguchi: Ever since I started taking photos when I was 20,
I always carry my camera with me and keep taking photos. The subject come into my eyes are those I am interested in with “?” feeling. By looking back “?” later, I will know more about the world. And they are also a treasure trove for my project ideas.
If I collect photos like this, map them by putting them together in a photo exhibition. The world is flooded with information and events from all over the world, and information from all ages can easily be seen. In the photo exhibition “?”, I would like to present my own way of thinking in this information-rich world.
A.M.: You have discovered this passion of yours, as capturing the simple bits of life, during your studying years at the university in Tokyo. Could you please tell us how did everything start?
H. K.: I started taking photos when I was doing a back hoodie to record what I see for the first time because I was shy; it was easy to communicate with others when I had a camera. Then I came to want to express something with photographs. And even on a daily basis, I started taking pictures.
A.M.: At some point in time, you said that you remained fascinated by this human yet simple feeling called “love”,. And you started a long journey wanting to discover any aspect of it. Why is this “love” so magic and appealing for you?
H. K.: Because love is the biggest thing in the world. I think love is at the core of people’s lives, world movements, and even war.
A.M.: Do you think, as an observer and as a member of the society, that Japan is missing this “love”? Do the expanding technology, and the faster rhythm of the social growth overcomes this “love”?
H. K.: I think that selfish people are increasing in Japan. I think it is natural having a love for yourself and your family, but I think it is necessary to have a love for the outside, that is, for society, and to be more involved with society. In my recent work “Flesh Love All,” humans and everything in the frame is packed with plastic. This is a work of my ideal that everything is united and connected to everything.
A.M.: For many other photographers, the expression of “love” is represented by postures, classic symbols, real and unavoidable gestures between lovers that, once captured with the camera, are transmitting to the others unequivocally that meaning of the “love concept”. But for you, the bathtubs are almost a unique symbol of this human feeling… Why?
H. K: According to an old myth, at first, the man and the woman are one existence.
From there, they were broken up into two existence. Therefore, they are instinctively attracted to each other. Love is the driving force. I wanted to express the magnitude of that love by bringing them together.
A.M.: In the series called “Flesh Love,” your models, men and women, are wrapped in plastic; what is the meaning of that transparent wrapping? How did you get the idea of doing it?
H. K.: The plastic bags are a way to make the couple one existence.
A.M.: How do you define “intimacy,” and what would you do to express it with the use of your camera to capture it?
H. K.: “Intimacy” is expressed by how close they are to one existence.
A.M.: Speaking of camera and lenses – what is your favorite gear?
H. K.: I favor “PENTAX” “SONY” equipment.
A.M.: And when you are working with your models – how do you persuade them to adopt some positions, some expressions, how do you convince them to let themselves wrapped up in plastic?
H. K.: They are often obtained by introducing acquaintances. And sometimes I recruit on SNS and receives an e-mail of application. I ask them to bring several patterns of clothes to the studio. Then we discuss which clothing is best to express their personality and decide on the costume. Sometimes one of the variations of the costume is naked.
A.M.: What are your future plans and projects?
H. K.: I will show some series “Flesh Love All” and “YOKO” which features my wife.
