Keisuke Naito, Ryuji Kamiyama, and Mana Sakura discuss the "Chinkami Exhibition.
Chin-Kame" has been serialized for 20 years in "smart," a men's fashion magazine that has been popular among young people since its first issue in 1995. As a pioneer of fashionable and stylish nude photography, this popular project has attracted many people. An art exhibition "Chinkame Exhibition" was held at "TOKYO CULTUART by BEAMS" by photographer Keisuke Naito, the creator of this project, and artist Ryuji Kamiyama, who is active on all fronts with his silkscreen and spray can as weapons. In this issue, we play back a talk show featuring Mana Sakura, a sexy actress who became the muse of the exhibition, with editor Takahiro Shibata as an interviewee. The talk show includes the birth story of "Chinkame," behind-the-scenes details of the exhibition, and many other topics that are rarely heard.
Born in 1969, he started his career as a photographer in 1994. He is active in a wide range of fields including magazines, music visuals, and advertising. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of his serialized project "Chinkame," which began in the men's fashion magazine "smart" (published by Takarajima-sha), and is supported by people of all ages.
Ryuji Kamiyama
Born in 1972, he launched the street brand "Famous (FAMOUZ)" in the 1990s. After that, he started his art activities centering on live painting. Currently active as a silkscreen artist, painter, and illustrator in Japan and internationally.
mana (woman)
Born in 1993, she made her adult film debut in 2012 while still a student at a technical college. Since then, she has appeared in numerous productions as one of Japan's leading sexy actresses. Recently, she has been active in writing, writing columns and publishing autobiographical novels, as well as lecturing at Tsukuba University.
In the backwoods era, there were very few people who were consciously creating things or events.
brushwood fieldA year ago, Kamiyama-san said to me, "I'm going to do something interesting with Chin-san (Naito-san's nickname), so help me out! and here we are today. I never thought I would be doing a talk show with Mana Sakura (laughs).
mountain where there are godsYeah, I never would have guessed that either (laughs).
brushwood fieldMana, I understand that today is the first time you have seen the "Dinkami Exhibition". You are actually performing as a model, how did you feel about your first impression?
silk crepeThe first word out of your mouth was "Fashionable!" was the first word that came out of my mouth. There are several other sexy actresses in the collection as models, and I thought all of them were very nice. The colors are very cute. On the other hand, in the work displayed behind us, the faces are painted over, but the boobs and bottom hair are fully visible (laughs). I was analyzing who those bodies were.
brushwood fieldIt's only 3:30 p.m., Mana-chan (laughs).
silk crepeExcuse me (laughs).
brushwood fieldBefore we talk about the "Chin Kami Exhibition," let's hear some old stories, shall we? Mana-chan was born in 1994. What were Chin-san and Kamiyama-san doing back then?
mountain where there are godsI think I was still in my teens at the time. I used to hang around the Harajuku area. I would ride my skateboard and hand-sell silk-screened T-shirts.
brushwood fieldI see, so you have been familiar with the street since your backwoods days.
NaitoI had just finished my training as a photographer. I spent most of my time in Harajuku and Shibuya.
brushwood fieldHow did you two meet?
mountain where there are godsWe had playmates and seniors in common, and that's how we met. I was introduced to Chin-kun by a friend when I went to a secret party Trance held under the elevated railway tracks at Noborito Station.
NaitoI might vaguely remember it...it was about 25 years ago.
brushwood fieldThat was a quarter century ago (laughs).
mountain where there are godsIn the Urahara period, there were very few people who were consciously creating things or events. That atmosphere was created as an extension of play. It was a group of people who were out of the ordinary (laughs). (Laughs.) In a good sense, they were not too much. That's how we hit it off.
brushwood fieldI was an ordinary reader of fashion magazines at the time. That was about 20 years ago. At that time, Chin-san was working as a photographer, taking pictures of NIGO, Hiroshi Fujiwara, and Jun Takahashi of Undercover, among others. You also had your own brand, Famous, didn't you?
mountain where there are godsIt was in those times that I decided to do what I loved to do. Shortly after we got to know each other, I invited Chin-kun to go to Europe to shoot a catalog (laughs).
NaitoThat's a long time ago (laughs).
mountain where there are godsThe catalog is now legendary. The company warned me that I was overspending on expenses (laughs). We were supposed to go to Holland, Belgium, and England to do the shoot, but we actually ended up drinking most of the time (laughs). I ended up returning to Japan and doing a shoot at a studio in Tokyo with a foreign model. That was Chin-kun and I's masterpiece (laughs).
NaitoThe catalog itself was very good (laughs).
mountain where there are godsYes, yes! People around me said it was very good.
silk crepeThat's a great concern!
mountain where there are godsI should have brought it to the venue (laughs).
The girls around us were more fashionable and less flirtatious.
brushwood fieldAround that time, "Chinkame" started to be serialized in "smart", didn't it? What was your motivation for starting it?
NaitoAt the time, gravure for men was based on male fantasies, but I had the feeling that it was totally different. In fact, the girls around us were more fashionable and less flirtatious. From this perspective, we started "Chin Kame" as a casual nude collection. Iga (stylist Daisuke Iga) and others were doing the styling, and I think it was very cutting-edge. I thought the concept of "fashionable nudity" was also interesting.
brushwood fieldDid "smart" ask you to do a project?
NaitoIt was the other way around. I told the "smart" editorial department that I wanted to do a pinup-like photogravure featuring girls, and the project began.
mountain where there are godsBy the way, the first editor-in-chief of "smart" was at the opening reception of the "Chinkami Exhibition. It's been a long time since we met.
brushwood fieldLast year marked 20 years since we started our serialization.
NaitoThanks to all of you, really.
silk crepeWhen "Dinkame" started, were there any other fashionable nudes?
NaitoThat didn't happen at all.
mountain where there are godsFashionable and erotic were categorized respectively. There was no other project like "Dinkame."
NaitoI have always been an oddball. Maybe it was my interest in subcultural things that led me to "chinkame.
brushwood fieldThe distance between fashion and culture was close at the time. It was probably easier for women to accept.
mountain where there are godsIn the 1990s, information was obtained through print media. To learn more, you had to dig deeper. Today's culture is fun, but back then it was very exciting.
brushwood fieldHow did you go about casting "Dinkame" back then?
NaitoIt was assumed that there were girls who felt fashionable and were willing to take off their clothes (laughs). (laughs) As we continued, more and more girls said, "I want to be in it too! (Laughs). As we continued, more and more girls started saying, "I want to be in it too! I also got information and referrals from friends.
brushwood fieldBy "stylishness," do you mean the appearance or atmosphere that a person has?
NaitoIt's total, like style and face. It's something that exudes from the girl. I would also refer to the information around me. At first I was experimental, trying out different girls.
mountain where there are godsWere you looking for models in general at that time?
NaitoThere was a time when I did that kind of thing.
brushwood fieldIn 2007, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the serialization, you held a photo exhibition at "Shibuya Parco" and also released a photo book.
NaitoThe work shown behind us is part of that exhibition.
silk crepeIt's not dated to the photo displayed on the edge.
NaitoYes, these are mainly from the 2000s.
brushwood fieldBased on those photos, Mr. Kamiyama painted them.
mountain where there are godsYes, yes. For the first 10 years or so, you were shooting on film. After that, it was with digital cameras. So if you look closely, the textures are completely different.
brushwood fieldHow many photos did you receive from Chin-san addressed to Mr. Kamiyama?
mountain where there are godsIt wasn't so much the photo, but this whole panel arrived at my studio. It was very disturbing (laughs).
We end up with something good, and we've been doing it for over 20 years.
brushwood fieldSince 1997, the concept of "fashionable nudes" had remained unchanged, but there was a period of time when it shifted to swimsuits. Then, in 2015, when she restarted as a nude model, Chin chose Mana-chan as her first model.
silk crepeIt was a great honor.
brushwood fieldHow did you feel when you were told about the offer?
silk crepeI had known about "Chin-Kame" since I was a student at the technical college. Since 90% of the students were male, I had heard rumors about it. At first, I thought that was what it meant because of the "chin" in the name (laughs).
brushwood fieldI guess I was imagining a different "dick" (laughs).
silk crepeThat's right (laughs). When they actually did the shoot, they were just so stylish. For a regular gravure shoot, I would take off my clothes and say, "Come on! and take off my clothes for the shoot. But for the "Dinkame" shoot, we kept the line between visible and invisible, so it was a feeling I had never experienced before, and it was a lot of fun. It's also nice that the girls can look at it and not feel uncomfortable.
brushwood fieldI have a question for Chin-san, why did you choose Mana-chan out of the many women when the nudity came back?
NaitoI made the offer because she smelled cultured and had a great style. Mana-chan also took me very seriously. We were able to shoot the film with a good sense of tension.
brushwood fieldHow do you assemble the filming of "Dinkame?"
NaitoWe develop the image by listening to the opinions of stylists and model girls whom we trust. I try not to be too decisive, because I don't want to shoot after I have made all the decisions. I myself try not to think too much.
brushwood fieldHow do you feel about this kind of shooting, Mana-chan?
silk crepeIt was a shock to me because I was never asked what I wanted to wear or what kind of image I wanted to portray on a regular shoot. As Chin-san mentioned earlier, we all worked together to create the scene. So the shooting went smoothly and happily.
brushwood fieldKamiyama-san and Chin-san have known each other for as long as 25 years. Why did you decide to collaborate this time after such a long time?
NaitoAs I recall, we hadn't seen each other for about 10 years, right?
mountain where there are godsYes, we hadn't met at all.
brushwood fieldIn the first place, Mr. Kamiyama was planning to hold a solo exhibition at "TOKYO CULTUART by BEAMS," wasn't he?
mountain where there are godsI was going to do a solo exhibition, and when I heard from a mutual junior colleague, "They were talking about Kamiyama-san. I was so taken aback. Then I had an opportunity to shoot for another project, and I wanted Chin-kun to do it, so I contacted him after a long time.
NaitoI had also heard about Kamiyama from one of my juniors. So I visited his atelier.
mountain where there are godsYes, we hadn't seen each other for about 10 years, but Chin-kun hadn't changed at all; we had known each other since we were teenagers, so it was like we made arrangements over drinks without any particular meetings (laughs). In our first conversation in a long time, I learned then for the first time that "Chin-kame" is still going on.
NaitoI've been doing it for 20 years (laughs).
mountain where there are godsI was really surprised. I had always wanted to do something with a female motif for my solo exhibition at TOKYO CULTUART by BEAMS. That's when the idea of pouring my paint over Chin-kun's photo flashed into my mind.
NaitoIt was very good timing.
mountain where there are godsI immediately contacted Mr. Nagai, the director of "TOKYO CULTUART by BEAMS," and told him, "I will do an exhibition with Chin-kun, not solo! He readily agreed.
NaitoIt's like Yamap and Kamenashi-kun teamed up (laughs). Good vibes-like.
brushwood fieldThat is how the "Chinkami Exhibition" was born.
NaitoThat's right. In addition to "Chin Kame," model Mayumi Sada approached me about doing a '90s shoot for a serial project in a women's magazine. It was right around that time when I met Kamiyama again, so I offered to have her draw the background.
mountain where there are godsWe are all from the generation that lived through the 90s, so it was very interesting.
NaitoWe did a shoot with '90s-like styling that she set up. It was very fresh.
mountain where there are godsI took another look at Chin-kun's shooting style on site, and I felt it was very rough (laughs).
brushwood fieldIsn't that the same with you, Kamiyama-san (laughs)?
mountain where there are gods(Laughter). But we end up with something good, because we've been doing it for over 20 years. Mana-chan, weren't you worried about the roughness of it?
silk crepeI knew that the two of you have been active for a long time, so I had no worries at all. During the filming of the "Chinkami Exhibition," I could feel that they were in tune with each other, so I felt at ease during the shoot.
brushwood fieldI see. Let's go back to the "Chinkami Exhibition. In this exhibition, apart from the painted archive photos, there are some newly photographed works; why did you offer Mana-chan as a model again after 2015?
mountain where there are godsFor this exhibition, I was planning to paint on the body of a girl, so I was looking for a model with emphasis on body lines. I found Mana-chan when I was searching for a variety of models using materials given to me by Chin-kun and on the Internet. I knew she existed, and when Chin-kun showed me some of her past works, I made an immediate decision.
brushwood fieldHow about Chin-san?
NaitoI showed Kamiyama a photo I had taken some time ago, and he said it was nice. Mana-chan is different from other girls not only in looks but also in the air she wears.
mountain where there are godsI think the adult genre has become an established culture, unlike when we were in elementary and junior high school. I think Mana-chan is a good embodiment of this. In addition to the part about being beautiful and attractive, I think that her work reflects the background of the times and fashion.
NaitoIt's embarrassing to be asked again (laughs). At any rate, I hope you can get a sense of it from my work.
It was more like having art photographed than a shoot showing my nudity.
brushwood fieldWhat are your impressions of the shoot?
silk crepeI always imagine what it would be like the day before a photo shoot. In the case of the "Chin Kami Exhibition," I had heard that it would be body painting, so I thought that I would be covered in paint all over my body (laughs). When I went to the site on the day of the exhibition, I found that Mr. Kamiyama had painted the background for the shoot, which was really cute. After that, it was my turn to do the body painting, and I was just so fast (laughs). I thought I would have to sit still for a long time, but it only took about 10 minutes. I could sense Ms. Kamiyama's sensitivity from the tip of her brush. When the brush passed over the nipple, she said, "Sorry! when the brush passed over my nipples, and I was very impressed by how considerate he was (laughs).
mountain where there are godsIt was my first time doing body painting (laughs).
silk crepeI didn't mind at all (laughs).
mountain where there are godsI was in a good mood, and my brushstrokes just kept going (laughs). Body painting is addictive (laughs).
brushwood fieldWhat was your impression when the painting was completed and photographed with Chin-san?
silk crepeI felt as if I was having art photographed, rather than a photo shoot showing my naked body. I was nervous, of course, but I went into the shoot trying to express myself in various ways.
brushwood fieldAs the photographer, what kind of direction did you give Chin-san?
NaitoMana-chan did a good job of posing as if she were showing us the art on her body, so we didn't give her any specific instructions.
brushwood fieldMana-chan did it naturally.
NaitoYeah, I thought I was very intuitive. I thought it was very intuitive.
brushwood fieldWe both thank Mana-chan (laughs). This exhibition includes archived and newly photographed pieces, as well as silk-screened works.
mountain where there are godsFor the panel work displayed behind us, I covered the faces with paint. I wanted to make the photo panels look like paintings. I thought that if I went this far, it would look cute and pop.
silk crepeIt's very engaging, isn't it?
mountain where there are godsI was conscious of making the body stand out by painting out the face. The nipples had the same impact as the face, so I painted them in as well.
brushwood fieldIt's a perfect balance of leaving the places where men think it's nice and women think it's cute.
mountain where there are godsAs Mana-chan said, I hope you will look at this work and wonder, "Whose body is this?" I would be happy if you have a fantasy of "Whose body is this?
brushwood fieldSome of your works use sprays, which is one of Mr. Kamiyama's specialties.
mountain where there are godsIn other museum exhibits, I sprayed over the architect's photographs to add depth. When viewed from an angle, the way the light enters the photo creates shadows and changes the way it looks.
brushwood fieldThey are all very worth seeing. Now that it is getting to be a good time, please tell us about your respective prospects for the last one.
silk crepeIf I were to do it on my own, the field of eroticism would not be able to reach the entertainment industry. Therefore, I hope there will be more opportunities like this "Dinkami Exhibition. Please check our official Twitter account, which has been designated as an inappropriate account, to see what we are up to.
mountain where there are godsThis exhibition came at a good time. In the future, we would like to publish and exhibit a more voluminous collection of works.
NaitoI hope we can all have fun shooting together again.
brushwood fieldThank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us today!
