As a person who holds a strong interest in Japan, I'm excited to have an opportunity to live and work in Ibaraki this fall.
I am particularly interested in observing aspects of contemporary culture that draw nations together as current global reality, and that which distinguish them as traditions, or that which create 'hybird' cultures. These explorations help us to understand how our lives are being shaped and our views are cultivated within the greater scope of the world.
'Food and Sensuality' is a photo project I've been pursuing internationally. In each country, I invite ordinary women who are transformed into knock-out models and photographed them, simulating beauty/cosmetic advertisement photography. In each image, the model is garnished with representative food from the culture the model lives. With humor and subversion, these works address the fallacies of contemporary consumer advertisement culture. They also expose general stereotypical social views on women as consumable object. At the same time, I am attempting to go beyond just making a social critique. I believe 'beauty' is something each person generates from within, and hope to bring out the unique beauty of each woman I work with in the most powerful way possible. My objective here is the opposite of the goal of consumer advertisement industry: rather than creating conformity, I seek individuality in defining beauty. Japan has strong sense of cultural homegeneity, yet, its culture is very distinct in comparison with other countries, as displays in its unique culinary culture. I look forward to exploring possibilites of these visions with people I meet in Japan this fall.