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MOVE TO…
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metropolis and centre not only of

Europe but also of world history
in the past, the German capital
has become one of the hottest
places to be again these days. An
immensely creative environment
with surprisingly low rents,
post-wall Berlin is characterized
by a healthy contest between old
and new design and
architecture, and an
unparalleled blend of capitalist
consumerism and socialist
modesty. Another aspect that
makes Berlin such a pleasant
city is its inhabitants’
friendliness and mildness.
Creative people from all parts of
Germany and other countries
increasingly choose the city as
their new home – an
environment for life and work
beyond material issues. As a
result, the city continually
produces new hints at the Berlin
way to balance private life and
professional activity. On the
following pages we hope to offer
an essence of that outsized
village of artists: Berlin.
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ENGLISH TEXT 140
Real, creative life in Berlin
text Keiko Niiyama / Hideko Kawachi / Eko Sato
how does the average Berlin resident creator’s
living and working environment look like in detail? What about
space, and how much do people have to pay for it? Find some answers
in ten concrete examples of living / working spaces that convey some of
the original feel of being a Berlin immigrant.
Frank Leder /
Maki Inagaki
Fashion Designer
Top designers’ life and work in the Berliner
gemutlichkeit
Bursting with the typical Berlin flair, this atelier
belongs to Frank Leder, a fashion designer
whose original style combining intelligent,
modern lines with antique fabrics and details
has earned him a large fan base also in Japan.
The atelier is located in Kreuzberg, an area
about as popular as the Mitte district, and
renowned for its punk community. Frank met
his partner Maki Inagaki in London, and about
two years ago the two left the convenient sur-
roundings of the British capital to move to
Berlin. “The city keeps changing, yet allows
people to settle down and live in peace to a
moderate degree.
There are a couple of slightly inconvenient
things that hint at a hidden provincial character,
but I like the way one can sit back and concen-
trate on work here,” comments Maki. Leder
explains that the duo’s collections are “inspired
by the city’s unique mix of historical and con-
temporary,” and there is definitely an essence of
that in their creations.
www.frank-leder.com
Atelier / Space: 230m2 / Rent: EUR 1,000
Hanayo
Artist
Tips and tricks from pioneering Berlin
immigrant Hanayo
A resident of the city since five years, Hanayo
moved from the eastern part to the west of
Berlin last year. “There are more English speak-
ing people in the west, so I checked newspapers
and found the new place through an agency.
In the east, public institutions are in charge of
real estate issues. The house where I lived first
didn’t have a heating system, and I had to bring
my own coal for the stove!” Any advice for
Japanese who want to move to Berlin?
“They have a working holiday visa system in
Germany now too, so I recommend coming here
on that and check local classifieds and room
share offers while staying at a friend’s place at
first.” A well of knowledge in terms of insider
information on Berlin, the artist Hanayo keeps
changing her appearance frequently.
With her 4-piece cabaret-style music and dance
outfit Ponpons she staged a performance at
Paris’ Palais de Tokyo in June, and participated
in the recent Frieze Art Fair in London. Now
the traveling artist is back in Berlin, and that’s
where you will find her for another while.
www.hanayo.com
Apartment / Space: 110m2 / Rent: EUR 900
vol#32 english texts 04.11.5 8:50 PM ページ141
Ralf Henselek /
Thomas Mrozek
Tatchers
A duo of Berlin insiders and their spacious loft
Coming from Cologne and the northern part of
Germany respectively, Thomas and Ralf met in
Berlin in the early ’80s, and settled down in the
city’s east to found Tatchers. “We used to buy food
in the west and eat it in our aterlier in the eastern
part of town. There wasn’t a single place to eat out
in the east at the time! Compared to the time of
the reunion, things have now calmed down, and
it’s especially nice that there are some good restau-
rants here now.” (laugh) For the establishment of
their atelier the two tore down an entire wall and
turned the former metal shop into a huge, loft-
style space. www.tatchers.de
Atelier, showroom and living space / Space: 250m2
Rent: EUR 1,700
Yuka Oyama
Artist
Get a cheap homebase and be yourself in Berlin
Yuka Oyama has been living in different parts of
the world since her early childhood, and reported-
ly spent only about 10 years in total in Japan.
Before coming to Berlin in October 2003 she was
living in Munich, a city on which she comments,
“Munich is a conservative place. Life in Berlin, on
the other hand, requires more energy!” Oyama
finds that, compared to New York or Tokyo,
Berlin is a relatively uncommercial city, and there-
fore it’s easy to be oneself without caring about
others. She moved into a building in which many
friends of hers live, and renovated the apartment
all by herself. From her ultra-cheap homebase she
keeps crisscrossing the world in order to get her-
self together – a true artist’s position.
www.dearyuka.com
Apartment / Space: 70m2 / Rent: EUR 180
Annett Bourquin
Stylist
Mega-selling stylist in a room with a view
For choosing as her stronghold not Hamburg but
Berlin, fashion fan Annett gives the following rea-
son: “In Hamburg everybody’s only talking about
money. In Berlin it’s easier to do interesting
things, even if they don’t really pay. And the city
offers so much to discover!” She came across her
apartment while walking around, fell in love with
its compact size and the huge window that offers a
breathtaking view of the city, and decided to move
in on the spot. Annett has made herself at home
in a little corner right in the middle of Berlin, and
every single picture her eye sees is another snap of
the city that surrounds her.
Apartment / Space: 46m2 / Rent: EUR 400
Andreas Rupprecht
Graphic Designer
Sharing a spacious flat in Kreuzberge
Andreas Rupprecht’s atelier, which he shares
with a number of other creators, is located right
in front of the SO36, the legendary club where
the likes of Einsturzende Neubauten or Dead
Kennedys played their first live gigs (note that
the man on the photo is not Rupprecht).
He states that he is drawing his inspiration from
this city: “I liked about Berlin the feel of
something new being created after the wall
came down, and the fact that rents are
extremely cheap for a city as big as Berlin.
I moved here from Mainz What keeps
stimulating him are small galleries, illegal clubs,
and the audiences of such places – sceneries he
wouldn’t find anywhere else but in Berlin.
Shared atelier / Space: 28m2 / Rent: EUR 210
Walter Schönauer
Graphic Designer
A studio symbolizing Berlin’s quality as a melting
pot of creativity
“The bigger a place, the better the business” is
the philosophy of Walter Schonauer, who offers
the following explanation for the high concen-
tration of creative people in Berlin: “People
without money are more creative and active.
Life here is so cheap that nobody is forced to do
jobs only for the money, so everybody can do
what they like.” He further emphasizes that
every other city he knows gets humdrum sooner
or later, but there wasn’t a single boring
moment in the four years he’s now living in
Berlin. That he probably owes to all the people
who follow their fascination with Berlin and go
to live there.
Apartment, studio / Space: 220m2 /
Rent: EUR 1,500
Andreas Vitt
Project Manager “Double Standards”
The classy environment of a creative company’s
uni-space
Enjoying the trust of several big clients, design
firm Double Standards’ menu ranges from
advertisements to record covers for local music
labels. The front side around the entrance is
completely made of glass, and always lets plenty
of sunlight into the room in which about ten
designers have their desks. Manager Andreas
calls the office a “perfect environment in which
everybody can work comfortably,” and in fact
the most remarkable designs in Berlin keep
coming out of it.
www.doublestandards.net
Office / Space: 158m2 / Rent: no info
141 ENGLISH TEXT
Simone Gilges
Artist
Hideout for underground artists in a former drugstore
Honeysuckle Company is an amorphous group of
artists who work in a variety of media while taking
charge of everything from performance to photo
and video shooting. Member Simone imagines
that an enterprise like Honeysuckle "couldn't
probably survive in other cities." In 1995, when
she came to Berlin, Simone found her place to be
in the countless clubs hidden in basements and
backyards. Now she is renting for half the regular
fee a former drugstore, which serves at once as her
atelier and a bar. The fact that there are people
who support activities like the Honeysuckle
Company's is again characteristic of Berlin.
Shared atelier / Space: 170m2 / Rent: EUR 1,200
Carsten Nicolai /
Robert Lippok
Artists
The unconventional bastion of internationally
working artists
Carsten and Robert have renovated one of the old-
est and most impressive places in Berlin two years
ago, to establish their shared atelier. But while
most of their works see the light of day here, they
are mostly presented to audiences outside Berlin.
"That's because as a sad matter of fact there aren't
enough collectors and gallerist here for artists to
survive. There's no buying power in the city, but
that again is certainly one reason why everything
is so cheap and laid-back in Berlin. It's an easy
place to be, and that's why artists keep coming. As
a base you won't find a better place than Berlin,"
remarks Carsten. There's no such thing as rivalry,
which seems to make people open, also in terms of
exchange with individuals from other fields and
professions. Robert too, who has been working as
a contemporary artist in East Berlin since the late
1980s, and is now active also as a musician, points
out the strong connections between different gen-
res as particularly interesting. The clashing of
good and bad contributes to a dynamic develop-
ment of a rough and round art scene in this city.
www.noton.raster-noton.de
Shared atelier / Space: 120m2 / Rent: EUR 600
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ENGLISH TEXT 142
WOLFGANG TILLMANS
Berlin, my Lifetime Subject
text Miho Yajima
ondon resident photographer
Wolfgang Tillmans likes to lock
himself up for work in his Berlin
hideout. This time he opened the
door to his studio, to shed light on
life in his “second hometown”.
Wolfgang Tillmans’ “Freischwimmer” exhibition
at Tokyo Opera City Art Galllery consists of a
series of painting-like “mental pictures” – portraits
of artist friends and scenes of daily life, manipulat-
ed using light during the developing process, and
displayed in huge prints that fill the spacious
gallery’s walls from floor to ceiling like posters in
people’s livingrooms. On the day of the exhibi-
tion’s opening the gallery was packed with curious
visitors, as this is in fact the first comprehensive
solo show in Japan of the German-born artist.
Tillmans made himself a name with his work
for fashion and culture magazines like “i-D” in the
early ‘90s, after which he continued to publish his
works in books and exhibitions. Equipped with
the aesthetic sense of a young European who expe-
rienced in post-wall Berlin both signs of freedom
and resignation, Wolfgang Tillmans is known as a
photographer heart and soul who keeps producing
in a very individual manner records of the times
since the 1990s in realtime.
Recently he is commuting between London and
Berlin, whereas it is the latter that appears increas-
ingly as a subject of his work. Composite met
Tillmans in order to find out more about the qual-
ities his photographic eye sees in the city.
C: In your biography there’s not a single men-
tion of Berlin…
WT: The periods I was staying in Berlin were very
short, so they don’t really qualify for a biography. I
took all my belongings to Berlin twice with the
intention to live there, but in the end I didn’t stay
longer than three months each time. My first
attempt was in September 1989, just before the
wall came down. I was 21 and went to Berlin to
start a photo course, but ended up hating the
school because it was conservative and just bad. I
packed all my stuff again and sent it to Hamburg
on the 8th of November, soon after which the wall
fell. If I’d been there for that historical event I’d
sure have stayed longer to capture the excitement!
I tried again in the winter of 1995, but couldn’t
stand the depressingly dark and cold weather. As a
young artist staying in New York at the time, I was
almost forced to arrogance by the city’s preten-
tious “up, up, up!!!” spirit that had a totally false
feel to it. I didn’t want that and began to miss my
dark, European Berlin. However going there in
winter was not a good idea… After two and a half
months I had enough again and left for London,
where I was originally living. There was actually a
third approach to Berlin – do you really want to
hear this? Okay, I’ve always had a love for the city
since I went there for the first time when I was 13
or 14. I’ve been keeping the idea of a second home
in my mind for years, and finally bought a place
recently. This year I spent three months in Berlin,
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which was an especially happy time because I fell
in love there. So, my third time in Berlin was fan-
tastic, but still I don’t think I will move there; I
consider myself a Londoner.
C: How did your love story turn out?
WT: The love story moved to Copenhagen. That’s
where he lives. I returned to London in order to
prepare for Japan, and then go back to live in
London again. But it would be nice to reunite
some day…
C: Your photographs are taken in different
periods at different places. Please tell us more
about the Berlin part of your work.
WT: I went to make pictures a week after the wall
fell in 1989. Then, in ’92 I experienced the Love
Parade for the first time, doing a job for i-D mag-
azine. They have a huge truck now, but I remem-
ber being crammed on a tiny one at the time.
Later that year I accepted an interesting offer
from Time Out magazine to make a guidebook
on Berlin. That’s actually my first book, and not
the Taschen one… I took 200 photos, for 2000
pounds altogether, which makes not more than
ten pounds for one! But it was one of the best
times I ever had, because for putting together a
guidebook you necessarily have to go to all the
places. The timing was bad though, as they didn’t
send me to shoot in summer but in November,
when there are no leaves on the trees…
Another particular occasion was in 2002. There’s
a great club called Ostgut, which actually re-
opened last night – too bad I missed the party! I
made three huge photos for them: two gray
abstract ones combined to a huge panel of 12
metres length; and a big photo of about 6.5 metres
showing a vagina. It’s a mixed but predominantly
gay club, and I wanted to give the boys something
to think. The response was cool, and someone
called it “kind of a nice idea!” The music is mainly
on the electro and techno side, stuff like Ricardo
Villalobos or Richie Hawtin, and a lot from
Cologne-based Kompakt and Frankfurt’s Perlon
labels.
Around 1995 the epicentre of the German art
scene shifted from Cologne to Berlin, and with it
came many artists and galleries that contributed to
the city’s glamorous image. But as a matter of fact
the unemployment rate has climbed to over 20%,
and the economic situation is not really rosy.
There’s no big company in Berlin, and students,
old people, and those living on income support
make up the major part of the population. But
prices are low, so it’s a convenient city to live and a
good place to party!
C: What do you personally enjoy most in Berlin?
143 ENGLISH TEXT
WT: The pleasant lifestyle such things as the lake
in the city center offer. It’s surrounded by trees
and swarming with wild birds. The water is clean
so you can swim in it, and everybody does. The
funny thing is, they’re all naked! Nudity is hip in
Berlin, so right there in the middle of the city
people are sunbathing or swimming with not a
stitch on. I often go there on my bicycle.
Different from London where people would fol-
low any fashion magazines are suggesting, in
Berlin you don’t find much information on what
music or shop is hot at the moment. After arriv-
ing there you need a while to dig up interesting
places by yourself.
C: The contrast between London and Berlin
seems to be putting you into perfect
equilibrium then.
WT: Yes, definitely. I enjoy in Berlin my spacious
place that I can use as a studio, complete with a
darkroom. I don’t have to be a boss who tells his
staff what to do as my assisants are in London, so
I can enjoy being my own boss. It’s a relaxed city
that gives me time to think and have fun.
However as someone who is used to a different
rhythm I’m finding it too laid-back sometimes, so
I’m glad that I can always go back to London and
get my surge of adrenalin. I think it’s that balance
that helps me produce good work.
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ENGLISH TEXT 144

KAZUYO SEJIMA
Light architecture dreamt in
the dimness of airplanes
text Misaki Hatakeyama

rchitecture has been an affair of male logic and terminology, until Kazuyo Sejima plunged right into the business
aspect of “light light” (as opposed to “heavy light”), she livened up the scene and briskly got the massive rock that
Japan, but is increasingly visible around the world.
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and infused it with her own vivid kind of female sensivity. By adding an
is architecture rolling. These days Sejima’s “light” is shining not only in
145 ENGLISH TEXT
Tokyo – Kanazawa – Venice
A heavy typhoon was lashing masses of rain
against the glass façades of the 21st Century
Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, on the
day before its opening. And yet the building con-
tinued to emit that mysteriously calm light that
almost made one forget the lousy weather. For the
opening party of the museum, the construction of
which was awarded a Golden Lion at the Venice
Architecture Biennale, a number of top-class
artists from around the world gathered and
brought along their works to display. Everyone
who attended the pompous festivities was obvious-
ly enjoying the feel of lightheadedness; the feel of
standing in a loophole between natural and artifi-
cial light, between inside and outside.
Less than a week after the museum’s opening
we visited Kazuyo Sejima in her Tokyo office, to
find the place crammed with miniature models of
future projects and works in progress. With the
rather small Sejima tiptoeing between the paper
mountains, the scenery resembled a scaled-down
construction site.
From a girl’s dream house to an architect’s work
Kazuyo Sejima first got aware of the existence of
architecture in her elementary school days, when
she saw a photograph of architect Kiyonori
Kikutake’s “sky house” in a magazine and was fas-
cinated by the fact that a “dream” house like that
existed in reality.
“It had such a strong impact on me that I got
seriously interested in architecture. As a matter of
fact, my parents were then playing with the idea of
building a house, and I found it exciting to make
plans and work out layouts for the house myself. I
wasn’t thinking about “architecture” at the time,
of course. Then my parents scrapped the whole
idea, and for the time being my dream house
plans were put on ice.”
The university entry exams were the occasion
for “scientist” Sejima to get in closer touch with
architecture again, as she had decided to enter the
housing department of Japan Women’s University.
Before long she stumbled upon said “sky house”
in the university’s library – a coincidence that
finally provided the name for the picture in her
memory.
“In school my teacher used to tell me to do
whatever I find interesting, and I think that was
essential. She told me to study magazines, and
that is where I learned about the architecture of
Toyo Ito, Issei Sakamoto, Itsuko Hasegawa, Kazuo
Shinohara and others. I began to visit lectures,
look for certain back issues of magazines, and go
together with friends to inspect the constructions
of buildings. We did that for fun, like traveling
around and sightseeing” (laughs).
The desire to become an architect began to take
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ENGLISH TEXT 146
shape in Sejima’s head, however as a postgraduate
student she still had only a vague idea of how to
achieve that. Then came an offer to work part-
time for Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects, and
this should become a turning point in the life of
Kazuyo Sejima.
“Toyo Ito had been one of my favorite architects
at the time, and the chance to witness at close
range how designs are discussed and developed
made me think about architecture more seriously.
Even though I was still a student, they often asked
me for my own opinion, and gave me theirs. I
think that was a very good experience.”
Encouraged by the advice of her teacher to
gather on-the-spot experience while in her 20s,
along with the invaluable experience of having
worked at Toyo Ito’s office, Sejima scrapped her
initial plan to remain at the university for a couple
more terms. She couldn’t think of anything but
work for Toyo Ito & Associates, and since they
weren’t actually recruiting staff at the time she
eventually “barged into the company like an
intruder”. (laughs)
“I was almost begging them on my knees, and
since I was totally admiring Ito’s work it was not a
question of whether I agreed with his ideas or not,
but it was always myself yielding in order to be
allowed to work with him.”
In the first four years at Toyo Ito & Assiciates,
Sejima was working out plans for private houses:
carefully one by one, in a team, and under the
harsh criticism of her boss. The first project she
took care of all by herself was the private resi-
dence of Sakumi Ogiwara. At the age of 31, after a
number of other projects under her direction and
a total of six years work for Toyo Ito, Sejima left
the office to work independently.
“During my last year Ito almost never got angry
with me anymore, so I thought it was about time
to leave. I believe that, including myself, people
who enter small companies tend to prefer doing
things on their own, so my decision to go solo was
probably a quite normal extension of that desire.”
Step by step toward light architecture
Shortly after leaving Toyo Ito, Sejima was asked
by an acquainted interior designer to be the “on-
site supervisor” of a housing project called
“Platform I”. After she agreed, however, the archi-
tectural plan was changed completely, and Sejima
ended up rebuilding the entire concept from
scratch. The originally planned concrete was
replaced with steel, and after the friend who had
assigned Sejima the job managed to convince the
surprised client that a building’s concept neces-
sarily changes with its architect, Sejima was
entrusted with the construction that became the
first building her company was in charge of.
Around the time of the completion Sejima met
photographer Susumu Yasui, who commissioned
her to build “Platform II”. Blessed with a nose for
meeting the right people at the right time, in her
first years as an independent architect Kazuyo
Sejima leveled out at a pace of one project a year.
The first student she hired as an assistant became
a fulltime staff, followed by a second. In her com-
pany’s third year of operation Sejima won her
first competition.
“When Artpolis, an architectural / cultural
organization in Kumamoto Prefecture (that was at
the time governed by Mr. Hosokawa, the later
prime minister) began to expand their field of
operation to private projects, the president of
Saishunkan Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. turned up
with plans for a women’s dormitory. She liked the
work I submitted and gave me the job, although I
was still young and unexperienced. The
Saishunkan Seiyaku Women’s Dormitory was my
first major assignment.”
Around the same time, Ryue Nishizawa joined
the office Sejima had set up. As a student
Nishizawa had worked part-time for Toyo Ito &
Associates right after Sejima left, and since her
postgraduate time she had been assisting Sejima.
In other words, Nishizawa was there from the
beginning, and the Saishunkan project was in fact
realized with her help. Completed in 1991, the
dormitory became a much talked-about topic in
Japan and abroad, which led to Sejima’s invita-
tion to represent Japan next to Toyo Ito and
Fumihiko Maki in the “Light Construction” exhi-
bition at MoMA, New York, in 1995. It was
Terence Riley’s first comprehensive exhibition of
contemporary architecture, with a title that could
be understood in both senses of the term “light”.
The Saishunkan dormitory graced the cover of
the exhibition’s catalog, which brought Kazuyo
Sejima worldwide fame overnight. In the same
year Sejima and Nishizawa established SANAA
as a collaborate office.
“When I look at Saishunkan now I realize that
my taste at the time was different, and it almost
looks as if someone else had designed it. I remem-
ber racking my brains over the problem how to
build a place for 80 people to live side by side, and
came up with a variety of plans and patterns. The
plan we actually wanted to go for was different
from the one the client preferred, and in the end
we had to compromise and do as we were asked
to. Toyo Ito then wrote me a text about ‘diagram
architecture’, suggesting a solution for Saishunkan
that enables its residents to choose whether they
want to get together or stay separated. That con-
cept of selectability was lingering in mind during
the planning.”
For several years after the launch of SANAA in
1995, the office was mainly involved in the con-
structions of small-sized museums, public housing
complexes and private residences across Japan,
mainly in the countryside. SANAA is also respon-
sible for Dior’s building on Tokyo’s Omotesando
and the “Issey Miyake by Naoki Takizawa” store,
but Sejima states that she feels in Tokyo “a huge
gap between government and clients from the gen-
eral public.”
“There weren’t many competitions in Tokyo so
far. Tokyo is a metropolis where all sorts of people
from all kinds of places gather, and I think the
city should emphasize its vision as a capital more
in the design of public space. Newly built places in
Tokyo all look the same to me with their focus on
commercial parts. A friend once remarked that
people in Europe could lead an elegant life in
poverty, whereas poverty in Tokyo necessarily
means life under miserable conditions. I think
that’s poor in the truest sense. Recently there have
been some architecture competitions also in
Tokyo, and I think it would be great if we could
help change the face of the city a bit.”
Creating images in real environments
The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary
Art, Kanazawa is the biggest project SANAA have
realized to date. The way the building makes use
of its space and deals with the aspect of publicness
has won Sejima international acclaim and a
Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale
last September.
“The competition for the Kanazawa museum
was open, whereas I would rather call it an asser-
tion of my proposal than a ‘competition’ in that
sense. I only submitted sketches and my general
idea of the concept, as it’s usually done in compe-
titions. At that stage everything is happening on a
theoretical level, so all that counts is the concept
and the proponent’s career to that point. The con-
cept we proposed was based on an idea to inte-
grate a community square in the museum rather
than place it outside, and to give the entire com-
plex a round shape so it can be entered from all
sides, as the museum is located in a central area of
Kanazawa City. Another point was to keep the
construction low and rather stretch it horizontally.
Things turn out differently when you have a limit
of fifteen metres height. I’m often asked whether
the building came out as I had imagined, and,
looking at the actual construction, I feel that it’s
rather my image that’s changing.”
The museum was built in the centre of
Kanazawa not as a massive construction in which
art is delicately placed, but in its conception art
and architecture carry the same weight. The muse-
um’s light construction allows it to appear differ-
vol#32 english texts 04.11.5 8:50 PM ページ147
ently on the outside with each exhibition, accord-
ing to what is happening inside. This is primarily
achieved through walls, flooring and ceilings
made of glass – one of Sejima’s preferred materi-
als that makes this museum another impressive
creation of hers. So what is it that makes her fall
back on glass time and again?
“I’m not so much interested in glass as a materi-
al itself. An important factor for my work is how
the construction of a building is realized, the way
the pieces are put together. Rather than making
the structure visible, I guess it’s the structure itself
that I always want to be as clear as possible. Glass
can break, of course, but it’s also a very durable
material. Even after years glass always makes a
building look newer than it actually is, as it shows
only faint signs of aging. While the atmosphere of
a brick building matures with the time, and metal
panels look down-at-the-heels the older they get,
glass is a material that almost doesn’t change.
Maybe that’s actually a negative point about glass.
You probably can’t guess how old a glass construc-
tion is just by looking at it. But I can tell you for
sure that the maintainance of glass is much less
troublesome than people think!” (laughs)
Half a year from now, the museum in Kanazawa
is going to host a SANAA exhibition, so in the
near future Sejima will be commuting to
Kanazawa again.
Projects around the world and sleep in airplanes
There is no clear separation between projects
assigned to Kazuyo Sejima, Ryue Nishizawa or
SANAA, but since the Sidney competition which
the two entered as SANAA, most projects, submis-
sions and exhibitions are done under the collabo-
rate name. Not counting currently running compe-
titions and product designs, SANAA are presently
involved in six projects around the globe: an
annex for a museum in Spain, a theatre and cul-
ture centre in Holland, a design school in
Germany, an office building in Switzerland, and a
glass and a contemporary museum in the USA.
The glass museum is scheduled to open in sum-
mer 2005, and in 2006 SANAA will have complet-
ed three more constructions.
“Methods of architecture are different in each
country, but because of the inconvenience not to
be able to work on location in projects overseas as
often as in Japan, I tend to prefer projects here in
the country. On the other hand, projects in other
countries are invaluable experiences, as they are
chances to work on different kinds of sites in dif-
ferent environments. The site in Holland is locat-
ed on an artificial lake, and the German location
is a UNESCO-designated cultural heritage. A proj-
ect that involves building around an old, protected
object is something one doesn’t get to do often
here in Japan. What I love about Europe is that
many countries are directly connected, and in only
one or two hours you can get to different areas
that all have their very own ways and manners:
the time people have their meals, the way they
hold meetings, and how they approach work in
general. When I went once from a meeting in the
cold of Northern Europe down to Valencia, I
learned to appreciate the city’s warm and sunny
climate, although it was only a one-hour flight
away. Then, a 50-minute ride on a limousine bus
from Detroit airport made me realize the vastness
of the USA.”
Before getting down to business on the actual
construction site an architect usually has to go
through multiple preparatory meetings, which
with the exception of certain big presentations
Sejima and Nishizawa do in rotation. But in spite
of the alternative shifts, for the average project
Sejima has to show up at meetings once every
four, five weeks, during which her place for the
night is primarily the airplane.
“I’m always happy when I enter one and can
afford to sit down and fall asleep on the spot. It’s
also a great feeling when a project is completed
and I return to Tokyo, although it’s also a bit
depressing because once I’m back here I have to
get back to my daily work. It’s always the same
cycle.”
Restless thinking produces unaffected
architectural style
As you’ll be able to guess by now, Kazuyo Sejima
is a restlessly working person. The opening party
of the Kanazawa museum was a pleasant occasion
with well-wishers coming from all corners of the
147 ENGLISH TEXT
globe, but even after that Sejima returned to her
office. She usually does so also after dinner, to
work and attend meetings almost daily.
“It used to be worse, but even now that I have a
little more room to breathe it’s difficult to find
time to think. I usually end up doing that on week-
ends, so after all I rarely take a day off. What I
find particularly difficult, and at the same time
challenging about my job is the fact that one proj-
ect after another is completed as a result of a long
process with an enormous number of people
involved. Each of them brings in a different opin-
ion and taste, and there’s hardly a project we can
finish without any trouble. But I think I’m sur-
rounded by good clients, thanks to whom I man-
aged to get where I am now. Women aren’t that
rare in the business anymore, but still architecure
is a male domain, so I suppose it’s most important
to collaborate with and listen to various people.
It’s not often the case that all members of our
team are working together on a project, but when-
ever things come to a deadlock we ask those that
aren’t involved for advice. All our projects are real-
ized with the help of a lot of people’s ideas. I for
one don’t like constructions where one can’t see
from outside whether they are hotels, commercial
or office buildings. I hate it when the design of a
building obscures its function. I don’t have an ulti-
mate image for my own style, but I’m always try-
ing to find the most interesting solution in that
respective case. It’s a difficult process, but I’m
enjoying that a lot. It’s also fun to think in differ-
ent scales. My work at present ranges from town
planning to the design of a tea pot.”
So how could the role of architecure look like
now that the man on the street has become more
interested in three-dimensional design, including
the design of houses’ interiors and other spaces?
“I assume that if everybody got even more con-
cerned, people would find out that a flat field can
offer as much fun as a commercial facility.
Wouldn’t it be nice if people attached more impor-
tance to the environments they’re living in?”
vol#32 english texts 04.11.5 8:50 PM ページ148
ENGLISH TEXT 148
TEA CEREMONY
text Yasuko Soma / Sumiko Ayata
aking tea and sharing tea-the
simple but profound world of
Cha. The Japanese tea ceremony
was traditionally an exquisite
leisure for Japanese people, as
well as a way of sharpening the
five senses of the body to
appreciate the flavour . Recently,
Cha has been expanding its
border to stylish people all over
the world. In this issue we
feature comtemporary styles of the
tea ceremony held in Tokyo, New
York, Paris and Bangkok.
Tokyo: Full Moon Tea Ceremony in Higashiya
On the night of September 28th in Higashiya - a
modern Japanese tea house in Nakameguro,
Tokyo, The sound of bells signals Tsukimi-no-
Chakai; the moonlight tea ceremony-is going to
start. The invited guests are eight creators from a
various areas of art, who are all friends of the tea
master, Shinichiro Ogata.
In the dark room the tea master Ogata wel-
comes his guests with a candle in his hand,
There is a big table in the centre of the room.
Tonight's tea ceremony is held in Ryurei style
(using a table and chairs rather than the Japanese
style of settings). As all the guests sit at the table,
beautiful Japanese kaiseki style dishes are
brought in. With great food and sake, it doesn't
take the guest at one big table to start chatting
pleasantly. Finishing the meal is a special dessert
which is served to symbolize the moon. for
tonight. Followed by a little break, the main
event, tea making, starts.
The first tea is Koicha, a thick Japanese tea.
The guests watch silently as Ogata kneads the
tea in candle light. The sound of Ogata stirring
tea in the bowl, with a fresh scent of green tea
and thread-like steam coming from an iron pot,
makes for a special atmosphere in the dark
room. When served, each guest has a sip and
passes the bowl of tea on to the next person.
This may sound strange but it has a very impor-
tant meaning, that of Ichiza Konryu, establishing
a sense of unity among the participants. After
this, Usucha follows to create a little more casual
atmosphere which allows the guests to talk pleas-
antly to each other. For those who followthe for-
mality of the tea ceremony, this might be outra-
geous, however, here we can definitely see 'a cup
of peace'.
When the full moon, Chushu no
Meigetsu (The Autumn full moon) appeares
from the clouds, the guests are invited up to the
roof balcony with glasses of sake in their hands.
A peaceful night under the moon light has
grown late.
The Tea Master:
Sinichiro Ogata (creative manager for
"Higashiya") says 'I was too nervous to carry out
the ceremony perfectly but seeing the guests feel-
ing at home made me relieved and I enjoyed
making tea tonight.'
The Guests:
Naoki Sakai (Graphic designer from Water
Studio) says 'I had been ignorant about Japanese
stuff, probably feeling repelled by my family who
had an Obi (belts for Kimono) shop in Kyoto.
Though, now I am so much into Japanese things
such as antiques and ceramics. Today I enjoyed
sharing a bowl of tea with such wonderful people.
Daisuke Nakayama (Artist) says 'Although I
have participated the other tea ceremonies, this
type of ceremony is new to me. It was very
impressive that there was a unique tranquility
though the ceremony had a casual atmosphere.
I'd love to hold such a tea ceremony myself.
Mitsuo Suma (Owner of an interior shop 'Hike' )
says this was his first time to join Ogata's tea cer-
emony. He is glad that Ogata gave him a chance
to appreciate the beauty of in Japanese culture
through his ceremony.
Hamil Aki (Artist,Calligrapher) says 'Ogata,
who I have known for a long time, has an ele-
gant character, and his tea ceremony reflects
this.
Guenael Nicola (Interface Designer) says ' I felt
like I was floating with the ceremony which tran-
scended categories such as Japanism. I felt like I
had myself into each of those slow movements
that the tea master made. The design of tools
and bowls are also facinating.
Reiko Miyamoto (Interface Designer) says
'Although this was my first time to attend a tea
ceremony, I had very special experience tonight.
I might start learning Chanoyu seriously.
Fiona Wilson (Writer for Wall paper) ' It was a
wonderful evening. Ogata's plan, including
space, food, tea, was perfect. The guests were
fantastic too.
Taishi Nobukuni (Creative Director of Takeo
Kikuchi) 'This was my first tea ceremony but I
enjoyed it very much. I have been interested in
Chanoyu for a long time. I'd love to come again.
I have known Mr.Ogata since he handled the
interior decoration for Takeo Kikuchi
Marunouchi.
vol#32 english texts 04.11.5 8:50 PM ページ149
Bangkok: Casual Nodate in Bangkok!
'When I first came across Chado I was a student
in New York. At that time I was getting interest-
ed in Japanese culture and philosophy and won-
dered what is the philosophy in the centre of
Sado. I raked through books about Zen or
Japanese tea ceremony then.' Yuan told us.
He is a successful young artist based in
Bangkok. Coming back from NewYork, his attrac-
tion to Sado continued and Yuan decided to take
lessons in Urasenke in Bangkok to experience
Chanoyu for real. 'There were only two other stu-
dents and after a while I was the only one left
there' says Yuan. 'Having practiced many times, I
realized cha is not only a secondary matter of
Zen but it has a deep meaning in itself'. In this
way, Yuan learned the genuine way to enjoy
Chanoyu, although he became too busy to contin-
ue to take lessons after a year. However, it seems
that the philosophy of Chado has taken root in
Yuan's heart. As he puts it, 'Chado has the both
elements of simplicity and solemnity in harmony.
To learn the purity of simple movements by wit-
nessing it and finding ultimate beauty in every-
thing is Rikyu's lesson on everyday life and
nature, which is always on my mind. Its modest
approach also appeals to me. I think it has a tacit
admoniton to human beings' selfishness and
inconstancy. This philosophy of Sado is definitely
alive in my work'.
Today he invites his friends and makes tea for
them. The theme of the tea ceremony is 'a peace-
ful afternoon with good friends'. It is not difficult
to imagine that this afternoon has a special mean-
ing for Yuan and his friends, who are too busy to
have a chance to enjoy tea ceremony these days.
The Tea Master:
Prapdah Yuen-born in Bangkok in 1976. Lived in
the USA since he was 14 years old and studied art
in New York before going back to Thailand in
1997. He became an artist working in various
areas of art, including writing and visual produc-
tions. His work attracts public attention from all
over the world. His own literature 'The last two
on the earth' was made into a film showed this
summer, of which Yuen himself was co-writer of
screen play.
The Guests:
Pinyo Trisuriyathamma (Editor of a cultural
magazine 'OPEN') ‘OPEN’ is very unique maga-
zine due to its nature of no-advertisement policy.
Yuen is also one of its editors.
Worrapoj Phanpong (Columnist and
Interviewer) One of the most respected colum-
nists in Thailand.
Jetamon Malayota (Musician and Music
Producer) He is playing in a band called 'Penguin
Villa', the coolest modern band in Thailand, as
Yuen puts it.
NY: Chado as an Art Form
Marybeth Welch says the heart of Chanoyu is
Harmony, Respect, Purity and Tranquillity. She
learned Sado at Urasenke in New York for twen-
ty three years, and has a Cha-name 'Shuuchi'.
For her, Sado is 'total art which utilizes the spir-
it of a 'once-in-a-lifetime chance'. She had a
career as a zoologist and has now turned into a
comtemporary abstract artist.
After coming across a collection of ancient
Japanese poems, Kokinshu, she started learning
Japanese culture, including Sado. She is now
interested in the the idea of emptiness, and its
connection to the relationship between objects
and spaces. Being naturally inquisitive, she
became so good at making Japanese confec-
tionaries for tea ceremonies, that artisans appre-
ciate her skill. One of today's guests is Jonathan,
who started learning Sado under the tutorship
of Urasenke only six months ago. He says that
there is something in common between the
movement in dance and the perfect flows of
movement in Sado. He adds chuckling,
'though, I have to find a way to solve the numb-
ness on my legs first!'
The other guests, Miguel has never taken part
in a tea ceremony before. 'Although I have been
interested in the world of tea and the tools, I felt
the ceremony was lasting forever! I think it
would have been different if I knew the nuance
more clearly'. Here in NY, attracting curious
artists, Chanoyu has been growing up steadly to
jump out the culture boundaries.
The Tea Master:
Marybeth Welch (contemporary abstract artist),
became interested in Japanese culture since
coming across ancient Japanese literature. She
has studied under the tutorship of Urasenke
since early 80s, kept interested in the beauty of
Chanoyu for 23 years. She has a special name
for tea ceremony 'Shuuchi'.
The Guests:
Jonathan Jaffe (Modern ballet dancer) started
taking lessons of Urasenke in New York in May
this year. Finding dance has similarilties to the
body movements in chanoyu, he became more
attracted to chado.
Miguel Calvo (Product Designer) has lived in
Japan as an intern for an earthenware manufac-
turer. Although deeply interested in earthen-
ware in general and tools for tea ceremonies, he
has never experienced attending tea ceremony
before.
Ceremony Record:
Bowls: Oribe, made in the late Edo era, is one
of Marybeth's favorite tea tools. It is a gift from
a friend who bought the bowl in an auction in
Europe.
149 ENGLISH TEXT
Kakejiku (tapestry): no name, with five mice
drawn by Nikka Tanaka in the late Edo era.
Marybeth cherishes this tapestry.
Flower container: bamboo flower basket by
Chikuunsai Tanabe (Taisho 10)
Confectionary: Yamadzuto (Mountain
Souvenir) is a speciality for autumn, made by
Marybeth herself, with a motif of chestnuts on
Kiyomizu-yaki plates. Her kitchen has a cup-
board exclusively dedicated to materials for
Japanese confectionary.
Flower: Autumn field flowers in a type of hang-
ing flower vase made of old wood root, put on a
cabinet in a temporary made 4.5 tatami-mat
space in the living room.
The ceremony was held in a Furo Nagaita
Usucha style, which carries the theme of 'Scent
of Autumn'. The Mahogany and Zebra wood
Furosakibyobu, a folding screen set around the
tea making tools, was designed and made by
Marybeth herself.
Communication sharing space-time
Actualized her talents and saw early success in
abroad, Mariko Mori has been highly regarded
as the representative of Japanese modern art.
Recently she has started to place Japanese tradi-
tional culture as the origin point of her cre-
ation. Seeing Japanese traditional culture from
her point of view, and then she put a new spin
on it to make her own style. As she has been liv-
ing in NY, tea ceremony is indispensable for
her to rediscover her origin. "What is the most
attractive thing about tea ceremony is, it makes
feel SPACE. Creation is ‘motion’ and tea cere-
mony is ‘response’, so both brings me a bal-
ance." Mariko Mori explained. Though she had
met tea ceremony when she was very young,
she started to learn it at the age of 30. Now she
has a teahouse named "Sha-An" by the
Buddhist bishop of Kofuku-ji temple. The tea-
house is a white round space, which doesn't
have any corners." In NY, I make tea in any
style to communicate with people, to share the
time-space. I think it is a primal that people can
get over the differences in nationality and cul-
ture. If we understand each others culture, that
should lead to the world peace." Her latest
approach to the tea culture is now shown at
‘Tea Capsule Exhibition’.
Mariko Mori Born in Tokyo in 1967.
After the graduation from Bunka school of
Fashion and Chelsea College of Art, held
exhibitions all over the world. 1997 Venice
Biennale award winner. ‘Tea Capsule
Exhibition’ has been held at 3F West Walk,
Roppongi Hills until 11th January 2005.
vol#32 english texts 04.11.5 8:50 PM ページ150
ENGLISH TEXT 150
LIBERTINE: CINDY
GREENE AND
JOHNSON HARTIG
NY-LA: 3000 miles to
Enjoy Independent
Lifestyles
text Kanako Maeda Composition Kei Sato
wo free spirits named “Libertine”
On the day of the interview there happened to be
a Fashion Fund Awards dinner hosted by Vogue
and CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers
America), aiming to provide selected young talents
with a funding and mentor system in order to help
build up their businesses. Libertine, who have
been dressing the likes of Karl Lagerfeld and John
Galliano, were among the candidates.
Their studio is located on Crosby Street, at the
point where Chinatown and SoHo meet. The area
has attracted young creators in the past few years,
to become an epicentre of creatvity in New York.
When we arrived (at 11a.m.), the door was still
locked, but a few minutes later Cindy Greene and
Johnson Hartig arrived with a little dog and two
guests. Once inside, Cindy headed straight for the
kitchen to make coffee. She was wearing a thermal
long tee with a printed scull. “Cream and sugar
everyone?” While preparing coffee she was giving
her staff assignments for the day. Her pretty, long
hair gave her the charm or a girlish rock-n-roll
groupie. On the other side, cheerful Johnson was
busy choosing outfits for his friends, including the
L.A. editor of Vogue, for the event. When he was
done with the styling he turned to the assistants,
started teaching about silkscreen, and made some
prints. He was busy moving across the place.
New York - Los Angeles: perfect 3,000 miles
“Personally I never understand why anyone wants
to live in New York. There’s no light in the houses,
and streets are dirty,” says Johnson. He comes to
New York five or six times a year, and I managed
to catch him while he was here for the Fashion
Fund dinner. “At the beginning I really hated New
York, but I have learned to enjoy it. I stay at
Mercer Hotel, and it really feels like my home
here now. They are so nice to Pocket (the dog)
too,” explains Johnson. “I need space and a cer-
tain level of lifestyle. For example, there’s a park
behind my house where I can walk Pocket in the
morning. It’s like being in the south of France, but
it’s only a five-minute drive away from the city.”
He lives at his very own pace, getting up at 4:30 in
the morning and starting work, then turning off
the phones between 1 and 3 in the afternoon so he
can enjoy his daily two-hour nap.
Meanwhile Cindy Greene commutes to this
Crosby Street studio from her Nolita apartment by
bicycle. “I usually get up at around 9:30-10a.m.,
have my coffee, take a shower, and pick my outfit
for the day.” Other unique creators who work in
the same building include casting agent Anida,
James, a celebrity caster, a Paris-based art direc-
tion office called Surface 2 Air, hat designer
Eugenia Kim, and a screenwriter. “I often see my
friends and chat with them about my projects.”
Many of them are in fact highly acclaimed in their
respective fields. Anida, for example, did the
model casting for the fashion show last season.
New ideas often emerge from everyday conversa-
tions with the neighbors. “They all come from Ben
– a guy called Benjamin Cho who brought them
here. It’s a cheap place, that’s why so many cre-
ative people are coming to this building.”
Surrounded by them, Cindy is the personified
spirit of downtown New York, while Johnson lets
his love of nature run wild at his own pace. “It
works very well for me that we are 3,000 miles
apart,” says Johnson with a smile. Being separated
seems perfect then, yet they’re also obviously
enjoying meeting every once in a while.
Classic, yet avant-garde
So we’re talking about two individuals with differ-
ent lifestyles and tastes, who inspire each other
and together make up the unique world of
“Libertine.” Their studio looks very organized to
me, reflecting perfectly the sensitivity of the
brand. With its heavy wooden furniture decorated
with beautiful silk and satin fabrics, along with
some kitschy objects the two supposedly found on
the street, the room still manages to look classy.
Upon entering one gets into a kitchen that func-
tions at once as a factory and atelier for the actual
creation process. There is a presser for silk-screen-
vol#32 english texts 04.11.5 8:50 PM ページ151
ing, a working table, a sewing machine, and lots of
paper cups filled with paint. Behind the kitchen, a
lounge-like space connects the working space with
Cindy’s own little backroom. It’s equipped with a
European-style, antique-looking vintage sofa, and a
bamboo coffee table with a little bamboo chair.
Next to the lounge area is a place where samples
are sleeping under satin covers. An array of illus-
trated books on birds and flowers, travel guides,
photo collections and others are kept in the shelf
to provide inspiration for silkscreen prints. Other
objects in the room include a deer head and a
birdcage, which give the place the same grotesque,
“real” feel that characterizes the Libertines design.
All one can see from a small window are the back-
sides of adjacent buildings, but the imaginative
interior decoration keeps the room and the view
from looking empty and bleak, and would suggest
the uninitiated that this was someone’s cosy living
room rather than a design brand’s office.
“Johnson is a genius in digging up great
antiques!” declares Cindy. “He just found a sofa
for my new apartment yesterday.” The two often
visit thrift stores such as the Salvation Army,
which sell donated clothes and sometimes have
some great vintage pieces in the back. Cindy tries
to go there once a week, whereas Johnson combs
the L.A. neighborhood by car and buys stuff. “I
used to love these shops, but not anymore. I just
bought too much there,” says Johnson with a
slightly depressed face. “But I love taking beautiful
things home from other countries. I’m especially
interested in 19th century decorative art and liter-
ature, American folk art, and also the Colonial
style.” The Libertine studio is a stage for the funky
mix of Johnson’s vintage pieces and Cindy’s
unique collections, contributing to the brand’s rep-
utation for incorporating two individual lifestyles.
Libertine, a unit of two libertines
So how did two people living in different cities
wind up starting a fashion brand?
Johnson, who studied painting and drawing,
worked as an actor in commercial spots for five
years. “But I was always messing around with the
clothes and over the years I developed very sensi-
tive eyes,” Johnson explains about his motivation
to start his own “Johnson Hartig” menswear line.
The first collection of 12 pairs of pants attracted
superstars like Elton John, and became a phenom-
enon at Max Field. Johnson went on selling vin-
tage jackets that were carefully made with details
such as silk, ribbons, lace, and tweed. He was
making what he wanted to create at his own pace.
One day Johnson received a shirt with a gorilla
print from Cindy, whom he had met about six
months earlier. He spontaneously added some
design to the shirt and wore it to a dinner party,
where Cliff Fong, a friend and buyer from Max
Field, asked Johnson to make some to sell. He
called Cindy right away, went to New York the fol-
lowing weekend, and made a set of original shirts
bearing Cindy’s silkscreen prints. The first 20
were sold out at Fred Segal within a few hours,
and soon after that Libertine was born. That was
three years ago.
Cindy was still working for the Apparel Graphic
151 ENGLISH TEXT
department of DKNY at the time, and the first
items under the Libertine label were in fact creat-
ed at the DKNY studio in night and weekend
actions. “When Johnson came during the week-
days, I had to hide him in the closets at DKNY. It
was really funny,” remembers Cindy with a loud
laugh. “Donna Karan is a big company, yet every-
one is very eccentric and different in their own
ways. It was an incredibly creative environment
and a great learning experience for me. I had
access to Donna’s clothing library, which ranged
from the end of the 19th century up to the 80’s.
Unbelievable!”
Having studied photography and experimental
film at college before coming to New York, Cindy
keeps producing films and still digs photography.
When she left DKNY in May 2002 she was also a
member of the electroclash unit “Fisherspooner,” a
band she formed in 1997 with three friends from
her Chicago days as a representative of the New
York underground scene. Getting more and more
involved with Libertine, she finally left
Fisherspooner in November 2003. “Well, I still sing
a lot, lately with Johnson!” So, her happy singing
life continues.
No other name in the world could describe the
duo better than “Libertine,” a term Johnson stum-
bled upon in a TV program on Mozart, in the line
“Mozart was a true libertine”. “I thought that’s it!”
“Libertine” accurately expresses the lifestyles of
Cindy the fashion, film, music, and photography
diva in downtown New York, and Johnson the
nature guy and antiques collector in Los Angels.
As long as they respect each other’s ways, 3,000
miles looks like the perfect distance for them.
vol#32 english texts 04.11.5 8:50 PM ページ152
ENGLISH TEXT 152
TASTE MAKERS
Vol #4
Questions
1 Movie : “Husbands” John Cassavetes
Please tell me your latest news
2 3. Bar de l’Hotel Lutetia, “Cafe de flore” / Paris
What is your favorite recent movie, music
or book? Please give reasons
3 (Paris)
What restaurant do you frequent recently?
4 and high heels
Do you maintain or care about your health?
What is the key to good health?
5 Sicilia, Paris, my jean, my bed, my S.T.dupont
If you have any plans for the near future,
please let us know
6 Kentaro Kobuke
Please name some things that you love, and
are pretty much sure you will love for an
another decade?
Nicola Formichetti
Stylist, Fashion Editor
1. I work in fashion mainly as creative director,
also mainly as senior fashion editor of “Dazed and
Confused” magazine, contributing editor for
“Another Magazine”, “Arena Homme Plus”, “V”,
“Mixt (e)” and other various Japanese magazines
etc... Also consulting & styling for several fashion
houses, labels and designers. I’m 27 year old,
based in London, travel between Tokyo, NY, Paris,
Milan. The recent project that I’m producing is a
shop / space called “side by side”, which is on 2.5f
of Laforet, Harajuku in Tokyo, selling over 40 new
designers who are new to Japan. It’s a really big
project and very personal... It’s very me. Please
come and see.
2. A documentary called “Paris is burning” about
80s black gay community in NY, it’s all about
voguing! I first saw it 7 years ago, and we were
really obsessed about it... Then recently my friend,
Kim Jones based his collection on it. It’s really
funny and sad at the same time. Can’t get enough
of it! Music that I love recently are...
3. Japanese restaurant called “Asakusa” in North
London.
4. swimming...
5. Move to NY. Expand “side by side” project in
Japan. Play harder!
6. Playing the piano, love classical music!
Bali Barret
Fashion designer
1. Opening Boutique 01 Tokyo-Shibuya : Red
Bunker. Opening Boutique 02 Tokyo-Omote-
Sando : Red Military Tent
Design of Soie Belle Collection for Hermes
2. Book : “Il conformista” Alberto Moravia,
“Brassai-Entretiens-Picasso” Brassai
Music : soundtrack of “The Godfather”
06, Le Bar / rue de conde Paris 06, Maxim’s
restaurant at Roissy Charles de gaulle airport
4. No Drugs -No Alcohol, Penhaligon’s cologne
5. La dolce vita in Sicilia
6. My Lover, Cassavetes, diet coke, rock & roll,
and silver lighter
Jeff Burton
Photographer
1. I just got back from Tokyo having participated
in the 30 years of Hello Kitty Exhibition thanks
to my friends Tomoko Okamoto and Jeremy
Scott. But I’m also releasing a new book. The
third one. It is to be out in December of this year
titled: The Other Place. It is published by Twin
Palms Publishers. Also, later this year I’m work-
ing on a project with Goddess, Vixen, Artist,
Betony Vernon and her art in the famous Carlo
Mollino house in Turin, Italy. The cast of charac-
ters is intense and inspiring. Besides Betony
Vernon, Aimee Mullins, Dita Von Teese, Corina
Van De Vyvere aka (Syren), Lisa Marie, and Mr.
Pearl are scheduled to appear for photographs.
I’m very excited about it!
2. I’ve always been a huge Joni Mitchell fan
through all of the decades of her work. I play her
strange guitar tunings for relaxation. A book I
often read to feel good is Popism The Warhol
Sixties by Andy Warhol and Pat Hackett. It is
funny as hell and perfect for the bedside and
worth a few reads.
3. My house. My last boyfriend Marcello would
cook amazing meals for him, myself and our
friends. In Los Angeles, house parties are the
best medicine.
4. There is always more to do for health. I try to
work out a few times a week. Working in adult
films and being involved with physical culture the
pressure to stay young and fit is intense. It is a
balancing act.
5. In the future I’m planning to keep my heart
and soul intact.
6. I love gardens, music, and taking pictures. I
work a lot on my plants keeping them beautiful.
It makes me really happy.
Victoria Bartlett
Stylist
1. Designer / VPL
Stylist / Many magazines — “Italian Vogue”,
“L’uomo”, “BIG magazine”, etc...
Consultant / At the moment, “Theory”
Animal Activist / NEMO, Q-Tip, Tweezer
Lover of the world
2. “The Panic in Needle Park”, 1971 Movie By
Jerry Schatzberg with Al Pacino and Kitty Winn.
I’ve been wanting to see it for a very long time,
and finally I have.
Book: Noam Chomsky’s “9-11”. It was an eye
opener from a Jewis perspective of how America
has been unaware of the Arab situation.
3.”Omen” on Thompson Street.
4. Everything!
5. Visit Mars or the Moon, if not open a store.
6. My cats, my friends, my lovers and myself.
Illustrator
1. I had a feature exhibition at Scai The
Bathhouse. It was my first experience of acrylic
paintings and three-dimensional pieces. All of my
works before then had been drawn solely with
color pencils, so it was a great opportunity for me
to express colors or shapes in my mind without
reduction. In parallel with that, I have also pub-
lished, at our own expenses, a book of my works
(ISO B4, full-colored, pp.28/ ¥1500) in collabora-
tion with Ozaki Tsuyoshi, a graphic designer who
has been a friend of mine since we were in school.
The book contains three ISO B3 posters including
the cover. We are currently engaged in publicity
and management for our book, which I really
enjoy a lot!
2. This August, I had a joint event with Ogurusu
Norihide www.boreas.dti.ne.jp/~ogurusu, a musician
from Kyoto in Stockholm. His music is very com-
fortable and I often
Listen to it. Harada Ikuko www.clammbon.com is
also my favorite of late.
3. A cafe in Edogawabashi. It’s a makeover of a
printing office and you can spend a pleasant time
there. It was a pure coincidence that I dropped in
there. Pear juice au lait was great!
4. Walk, walk and walk. I really love walking and
hardly use other transportations. It’s great because
my head gets clear often bringing me some bril-
liant ideas.
5. I would like to continue with acrylic paintings
for a while. I am also interested in textile, but I do
not know what I would like to do with it yet.
6. Dogs, walking, traveling, motorbikes, pale tones.
THE END