Part 5: Talk Show with Daido Moriyama, Part 2

The talk show between Daido Moriyama and Nobuhiko Kitamura, held at RAT HOLE GALLERY on October 21st. The conversation ranged from Warhol to Moriyama's own work...

Photo by Emiko Fukuda

On Andy Warhol

MC: Speaking of which, your exhibition includes photographs of Andy Warhol's posters. Hysteric Glamour also entered into a contract with the Andy Warhol Foundation, didn't you?

Kitamura: Yes, last year, the Andy Warhol Foundation in New York approached us about developing a full-fledged apparel line in Japan and asked if we could manage it.
However, before this offer came about, I had seen some of the products the Foundation was developing, and frankly, I felt it was a great waste, and I also had a certain rebellious feeling about it.

So, I initially intended to decline. But upon further reflection, his ideas had been a reference for me since I graduated from school, and I still found the space of his Factory to be cool. I realized that if I turned this down now, I would probably regret it, and if someone else were to take it on, I'd rather do it myself. So, we decided to launch it this year.
Actually, a friend once told me that Warhol complimented him on the clothes I designed in New York. I went to meet him without an appointment. I went around to clubs every day looking for someone I knew.

Photo by Emiko Fukuda

Finally, I met someone who knew him and arranged to meet him. But in the end, I never got to meet him. He passed away on February 22nd, the month after I returned to Japan. Remembering all of that, I made my decision.

To return to the topic, when I first saw the photographs for this exhibition, I noticed the image of Warhol and thought, 'Ah, he's played a little trick on me,' which I was happy about.

Moriyama: Well, I had to include it, didn't I? I love Warhol too, and I always photograph him when I see him. I thought this exhibition was a precious opportunity to show them, so I submitted them. No matter how much you like something, you don't often get a chance to display it like this.

Moreover, it's a point of commonality between Kitamura and me. In fact, when I first visited New York in 1971, Tadanori Yokoo invited me, saying, 'Shall we go to the Factory together?' Of course, I was a fan even then, but fans sometimes have a strange psychological block where they don't want to meet the object of their admiration, so I ended up declining. Looking back now, it was the only chance I had to go to the Factory. It's truly a shame.

Photo by Emiko Fukuda

Photographs That Feel Like Daido Moriyama, No Matter What They Depict

MC: This time, you've also produced T-shirts to coincide with the exhibition. Was the photograph of 'Eyes' the one that immediately struck you, Kitamura?

Kitamura: Yes. If it's for a T-shirt, this is the one. I'd want to wear it myself.

Moriyama: When Kitamura first told me he liked the 'Eyes' photograph and another one, 'Dots,' I felt that the selection for this exhibition was the right choice. They are also photographs that I love very much.

Kitamura: Moriyama's photographs don't actually make a sound, but you can feel the shutter click and the story behind them. At the same time, you sense the presence of a person beyond the subject matter. Whether I can feel that or not is very important to me. In Moriyama's case, whether he's photographing a toilet or a flower, the presence of Daido Moriyama is there.

Moriyama: I'm very happy that you feel a sense of sound in my photographs. They might be noisy, but I also feel sound as I shoot them. When someone views them in a way that resonates at that highest level, it makes me, as a photographer, very happy.

Furthermore, being able to create photo books with Hysteric Glamour has been a genuine positive for me. It felt like a release, and I felt incredibly at ease. Until then, I had been putting some constraints on myself regarding photography. So, I'm truly glad to have encountered Hysteric Glamour.

■ After the Talk

Moriyama: Today, I'm glad I could have a date with Kitamura in this wonderful space. An exhibition is also a show, and a show needs to have an impact the moment you enter. In that sense, I was convinced that this space allows for a tangible experience.
I've always liked the color violet and wanted to use it for a frame someday. The moment I saw this space, I knew this was it. I think it was very effective, and I'm satisfied.

Photo by Emiko Fukuda

Kitamura: I believe a wall must be something that makes you want to decorate it even when it's bare. And we created this space with that in mind, so I'm truly honored to hear you say that. Thank you very much for today.

Moriyama: Thank you, the pleasure was all mine.

■ 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
For details, please visit www.ratholegallery.com.