Photo by FUKUDA Emiko

An Exhibition Akin to Love

MC: When you first saw the photographs for this exhibition, titled 'it,' what was your impression, Kitamura-san?

Kitamura: Initially, Moriyama-san showed me some four-cut prints, and the moment I saw them, the arrangement was decided.
Of course, each individual work has a strong image, but as a total worldview, it was condensed into what I perceive as Moriyama-san's world: somewhat moistly erotic, modern, yet romantic when viewed in its entirety. I thought, 'So that's what 'it' meant.'

Moriyama-san, what were your thoughts behind the title 'it'?

Moriyama: Since childhood, I often heard my father say, 'This person is 'it',' when looking at someone. As a child, I wondered what 'it' was. Eventually, I learned it derived from the 1920s film 'It,' and for my father's generation, it was a word used quite literally.
And I always liked the somewhat erotic nuance emanating from the word 'it.' So, when I heard about this project, that word was the first thing that came to mind.
Of course, the selection wasn't made based on the title, but in the process of choosing the photographs, I did have that 'it' feeling within me.

Also, though I feel a bit shy saying this to your face, for this exhibition, I chose the works with Kitamura-san specifically in mind. From the moment I was first offered the chance to hold an exhibition at this gallery, my sole focus was to direct it towards Kitamura-san.
However, arbitrarily focusing on a specific person can be difficult because it imposes self-imposed restrictions. Therefore, this selection was both interesting and challenging.

Kitamura: For the first time in a while, I got goosebumps all over.

The 'It' Factor Felt by HYSTERIC GLAMOUR

Moriyama: I was delighted as well. We've known each other for nearly 20 years, and I love everything associated with the HYSTERIC GLAMOUR brand. When I visit the office or the design room, I feel excited. I've always liked that kind of thing myself, and I also like the name HYSTERIC GLAMOUR. It truly embodies that 'it' factor.

In that sense, my photographs in this exhibition have a somewhat graphic selection overall. I feel the word 'graphic' also carries nuances of sensationalism and scandalism, so I wanted to create a graphic exhibition in that broader sense.

MC: Were all the works photographed in the last few years?

Moriyama: Primarily, they are unpublished works taken in the last two or three years. Nearly half were shot while I was taking walks during overseas trips for exhibitions. The rest were taken in places like Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, and Harajuku between meetings. The photographs in this exhibition are the result of reviewing all the negatives from those shots and refining them into the form we see today.

Photo by FUKUDA Emiko

Daido Moriyama Exhibition "DAIDO MORIYAMA it"

Dates: Friday, October 13, 2006 – Sunday, November 19, 2006
Hours: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Closed Mondays)
Venue: RAT HOLE GALLERY
B1F, HYSTERIC GLAMOUR Aoyama Store, 5-5-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku
TEL: 03-6419-3581

Daido Moriyama Book Signing Event
Saturday, November 4th, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
For details, please visit www.ratholegallery.com.