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-How many times did you enter the New Cosmos of Photography?

This was my first time. I had a feeling that I had created something pretty interesting, and I thought it might do quite well.

-Was there any change after you received the prize?

Okabe Tokyo is not my real name. People around me started to call me “Tokyo,” and I am happy to be recognized this way. I like Tokyo the city, and I took this name as it really has an impact. This is part of the overall package, and I hope that people can enjoy my work.

-Have you been taking photos for long?

I first became interested in photography in junior high school, and I shot lots of photos with a compact camera. While studying law at university, I continued photography as a club activity. After graduation, I worked for a year in the video industry, but I quit when I realized I wanted to work in photography. As I had gone as far as quitting the company, I decided I would shoot the photos that I really wanted to, which led to my current work. I created it after concentrating for two or three months after quitting my job, and I feel there is still some room for improvement. I felt that it might be too soon to enter, but it would not be good if my feelings faded, so I decided to take a chance and entered.

-It is a work filled with laughter, however, what was your intent when creating it?

I felt that I wanted to create a work that was like nothing I had seen before. I thought of using lots of people to act out a performance on a magnificent scale, but without the budget no one was willing to take part. I was wondering what to do when one day while taking a shower I had an idea. I cut up photos and overlaid them to make a scene.
A friend of mine since junior high agreed to take on the job of being the model. As no poses are repeated, I shot from 100 to 200 photos for each scene. It was quite tiring for the model. I asked him to stand on tiptoes, and assume all kinds of impossible poses when I was shooting. I used a digital SLR camera.
When the shooting was finished, I printed out the photos, but it takes a lot of effort to make the characters all the same size. When I am concentrating on shooting, it is easy to get the distance wrong. I spent hours peering into the screen of the photo-printing machine at a camera shop while placing a ruler on the screen. Then I cut out the photos I brought home. As the cleanness of the cut directly affects the quality of the work, I bought a good pair of scissors part way through.
I prepared a diagram before doing any work. However, as I was working it began to gradually change. That is what makes it interesting.

-The book you entered, and also the display at the exhibition site, included some photos of you creating the work.

Yes, that’s right. With this particular work I thought it would be all right to reveal just how I made it. I did not want people to think that I used a computer when I was making it. I could have used computer graphics, but I feel that I would have lost some of the energy by doing so. By doing so, I could probably create the picture just as I imagined from the beginning, but I fear that it would not be able to exceed my expectations.

-Which artist do you like?

I was greatly influenced by the filmmakers Shunji Iwai(*1), and Harmony Korine(*2). I have seen their respective works “Lily Chou-Chou” and “Gummo” many times. You could say that they are what I am made of at the moment. I have a great interest in video expression as well.

-Will winning this prize provide a stepping stone for you?

I was frustrated that it was not the grand prize. However, I gave my best for the book creation, the exhibition, and the open selection meeting, so I have no regrets. From now I would like to consolidate “Yosshi World” as a photo book, and I am thinking about working on other series. As I am just bursting with ideas, there is a pile of things I want to try. With “Yosshi World” each photo incorporated a satirical look at modern day society, but I would also like to create something that can be enjoyed by families, couples, and people irrespective of age or sex. These are the thoughts I am basing my work on.

*1 : Shunji Iwai
Born in 1963. A filmmaker and director from Miyagi prefecture. His bold visual images and storylines unfold through a unique world of images. He directed films such as Love Letter, Swallowtail Butterfly, and Lily Chou-Chou.

*2 : Harmony Korine
An American film director, born in 1973. He attracted notice as a scriptwriter and then turned to directing. He also does some acting. He directed films such as Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy, and Mister Lonely.