So That's Who Took That Photo

—First, Nobuhiko, could you tell us about your encounter with Anders's work and how this exhibition came about?

KitamuraI first became aware of Anders's work through the jacket photo for Tom Waits's 1985 album "RAIN DOGS." At the time, I didn't know who the photographer was, but I just thought it was a great picture. Meanwhile, as we run Rat Hole Gallery, we review many photographs daily. Then, one day, while looking through one of Anders's photo books, I rediscovered that jacket photo. It struck me anew, thinking, "So that's who took that photo." Coupled with that realization, and the fact that he is a leading European photographer yet still not widely known in Japan, I felt compelled to introduce his work at Rat Hole Gallery, which led to this exhibition.
This series, "Café Lehmitz," can be considered his early work, almost his origin point. In recent years, young people in Japan have become increasingly interested in photography, and I believe this is work they should definitely see.




—Anders, how old were you when you took these photographs?

AndersThese photos were taken between October 1967 and March 1970, so I was between 23 and 25 years old. All of them were shot at the pub "Café Lehmitz" in Hamburg, Germany, which is also the title of the series.

Incredible for a 23-Year-Old

KitamuraThinking about it now, it's truly hard to believe these were taken by someone who had just started photography at 23.

—Indeed. Anders, you're from Stockholm, Sweden, but was this your first time in Hamburg?

AndersNo, I had visited once before at 17 with a girlfriend. After that, I studied photography in Stockholm and then returned. When I decided I wanted to capture the most emotional photographs, I felt Hamburg was the place. And that's when an acquaintance took me to this "Café Lehmitz."



—So you lived in Hamburg for about two and a half years then?

KitamuraNo, no, he wasn't living there. He was commuting from Stockholm.

AndersThat's right. I would always hitchhike to Hamburg, take photos for about a month, then return to develop them. Back in the 60s and 70s, hitchhiking was commonplace, unlike today. Then, I'd bring the prints back and give them to people at the café. While I was in Hamburg, I sometimes stayed overnight in the kitchens of people I met at the café (laughs).