The Natural and Beautiful Unity of Nudes and Shoes

Tomoki Sukezane & Editor Daimaou (hereinafter, Sukezane)Thank you both for taking time out of your busy schedules today. First, I'd like to ask Mr. Louboutin for his impressions of the photo exhibition.




As you explained when you guided us through the museum earlier, I was also very interested in the emotions and the expression of the model's individuality when shooting nudes.

SukezaneI see. So, Mr. Louboutin felt that the way the exhibition was presented enhanced the beauty of the works. Mr. Shinoyama, what are your thoughts on that?

Kishin Shinoyama (hereinafter, Shinoyama)I wasn't particularly conscious of the size, but I find Mr. Louboutin's perspective interesting. What I most wanted viewers to feel was the fact that the nude model was standing in the very spot where the viewer is now, and that the photo was taken right there. The intermingling of past and present, and the resulting sense of wonder, are closely related to the fact that this museum was built 80 years ago and was originally a private residence. I believe that such a place creates a unique and special atmosphere.

LouboutinI completely agree. I also love architecture, but it's often difficult to grasp the scale just by looking at a photograph. When you actually visit this place, not only is the architecture itself beautiful, but the exhibition of works that fuse the architecture with the nudes allows you to fully appreciate the overall scale, and it enhances the space. The balance is superb, isn't it? The fact that nudes were photographed in various locations within the museum and displayed in those spots also serves as an important element that enhances the appeal.

ShinoyamaExactly. That's precisely what I was aiming for.

LouboutinThat must be due to Mr. Shinoyama's exceptional talent. I once visited the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia, which has a stage depth of 80 meters. I wanted to take portraits there, and I thought that taking a photo would convey that depth, but it wasn't that simple, and the resulting photo lacked any sense of depth. Therefore, I felt more strongly than ever that "beauty" and "scale" are deeply intertwined, and I am deeply impressed by how beautifully this can be expressed through the hands of a professional photographer, including my experience today.




SukezaneBy the way, most of the models featured in this exhibition are wearing your shoes, Mr. Louboutin. What did you think when you saw them?

LouboutinI've been making shoes under my own name for 24 years, and initially, I only made dress shoes, meant for adornment. Over time, I started creating simpler shoes, closer to a nude aesthetic. However, in the works I saw today, the shoes chosen were not dress shoes. They didn't stand out excessively; they integrated naturally with the nudes, and I found them very beautiful.

SukezaneThe "unity" between the nudes and the shoes was precisely what I wanted to emphasize most in the styling. On the day of the shoot, I had prepared shoes from several other brands, but in the end, most of them turned out to be Louboutin's. This shoot reaffirmed how well Louboutin's shoes complement naked women, and the resulting works were beautiful and moving.

Page02.Shoes enhance a woman, yet they also disappear

Shoes enhance a woman, yet they also disappear

ShinoyamaMr. Louboutin creates many wonderful shoes that complement clothing, but I believe all the shoes featured in this exhibition look more attractive when paired with a nude. Therefore, in a way, I consider them to be nude photographs by Mr. Louboutin as well (laughs).

LouboutinThank you. Hearing such kind words from Mr. Shinoyama reminds me of what my mentor told me when I was learning shoemaking in the 1980s: "Shoes enhance a woman, yet they also disappear." In other words, when shoes match perfectly within a styling, a woman's individuality shines through, and the presence of the shoes naturally fades away. Apparently, my mentor heard this from Mr. Christian Dior in the 1950s, and it perfectly applies to this exhibition. Furthermore, when I design shoes, I sketch them on a nude female form, not on a woman wearing clothes. In that sense, I feel a strong resonance with Mr. Shinoyama's work.



ShinoyamaThat's precisely the point. They have to be Louboutin shoes, but at the same time, they don't overpower. Louboutin's shoes best express the message I want to convey through my work in the most beautiful and direct way. They assert themselves, yet their presence eventually fades. They don't detract from the artwork; rather, they enhance it. Yet, they don't come across as promotional photos for Louboutin. I think that's also what's so remarkable about Louboutin's shoes.

LouboutinWhat I found particularly interesting when viewing the works myself was that most of the shoes chosen were black. It's precisely because they are black that the model's skin tone appears even more beautiful, and it's effective in terms of contrast. And, as you mentioned earlier, they don't interfere with the artwork. Skin tone is also a neutral color in a sense, and pairing it with black shoes might be akin to black and white photography. I think it's interesting to consider it from that perspective, and I strongly felt that the fusion of these elements does not detract from each other.

SukezaneIndeed, that perspective is also fascinating.

LouboutinMoreover, I thought the models chosen were also superb. Normally, nude photography can tend to feel artificial, and in fashion, it often becomes fixed in a certain presentation, including the posing. However, in your works, while capturing the nude as art, you always photograph them in a natural state. I believe your respect and reverence for the nude itself are evident in your work.

ShinoyamaThank you. I don't intend to make the models pose like objects; I capture their natural movements and emotions as they emerge. I believe Mr. Louboutin has insight into that aspect.

LouboutinWhen I first started this work, I interned at the Folies Bergère, a music hall in Paris. There, I designed shoes for dancers, and my foundation lies in designing shoes for those who move in them. Rather than creating something artificial, I aim to express real, authentic movements and forms. In that sense, I feel a shared aesthetic between Mr. Shinoyama's work and my shoes. Thank you very much for today.

ShinoyamaThank you as well.

SukezaneIt was a wonderful time. Thank you both very much today.





Kishin Shinoyama Exhibition "House of Pleasure"
Period: Saturday, September 3, 2016 – Monday, January 9, 2017 (Holiday)
Opening Hours: 11:00 – 17:00
*Until 20:00 on Wednesdays, except for November 23 (Holiday)
*Last admission 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Mondays (Open on September 19, October 10, January 9, which fall on holidays),
Tuesday, September 20; Tuesday, October 11; Year-end and New Year holidays (December 26 – January 4)
Admission Fee: General ¥1100, University/High School Students ¥700
*Free for Hara Museum members
*Groups of 20 or more receive a ¥100 discount per person
Venue: Hara Museum of Contemporary Art
4-7-25 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

• To "Tomoki Sukezane & Editor Daimaou Dialogue" List