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Drunk, Sober, Wet Bricks

With that said, c u tmro <3. Read the interview below in the mean time.

 

What made you get into photography?

 

I actually have started taking photos with Utsurun Desu (disposable camera by Fujifilm) even before becoming a model when I was in France at age 13. Photography has been a joy for me ever since. I am quite confident when it comes to photography, since I’ve been doing it for a while. I like taking photos in the street, and Issei Suda, Daido Moriyama inspired me.  

 

Did modeling have an effect on your photography? If so, how?

 

It definitely did, as I came to be able to shoot fashion photography. I also had a chance to work under a contemporary artist as an assistant, which got me interested in art. I like going to any museums, but The Noguchi Museum is my favorite. 

 

How did your life evolve when you moved from Japan to New York?

 

Drinking became a part of my almost everyday routine. 

 

More so than going out? 

 

Well, I didn’t really hang around the city ‘til late when I was back in Tokyo. Today, I have more friends in New York than I did in Tokyo. I go to the bar, get hooked up from my bartender friends, grab $1 cans of beer, or drink at my friends’ crib. I also live in the Lower East Side, you know what I mean?

 

That sounds fun though. Is that why the theme of your first zine is related to drunk scenes?

 

Yes, I decided to do this theme obviously when I was drunk. I know it’s such a cliche. 

 

Why did you decide to publish your zine?

 

It just came to my mind when I was going through my archives, like what will happen to my photos that never got exposed? Are they going to keep being locked up inside of my laptop or hard drive? I know it’s easy to just post on my Instagram, but that didn’t sound right to me. I wanted my photographs to be somehow tangible. There is a story behind each photo. If you know, you know. 

 

I’m honestly kind of jealous of your success as a model and photographer. What is your secret sauce?

 

Do you know the game called cee-lo? It’s a gambling game played with three six-sided dice. There’s not one standard set of rules, but there are some constants that hold true to all the different sets of rules. The name comes from the Chinese Sì-Wŭ-Liù (四五六), meaning "four-five-six.” I am really good at it, and there is no tip for winning. It’s all up to luck. I think I am just really lucky.

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