Recently published.Click here for the articleShingo Wakagi talked about his origins and awareness as a photographer in "Mashiko," a "folk art town" in Tochigi Prefecture. In Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture, a "town of folk art," which he visited for the interview, I was impressed by the way he was thoughtfully inspecting objects, especially pottery, and lost in his thoughts wherever he went.
Here we introduce some of Mr. Wakagi's personal belongings. He brought along some of the things left over from the many things he got rid of when he moved to a new house. I have almost nothing practical, but when I thought about the stories behind them, I wanted to keep them," said Mr. Wakagi. Please take a look at the items that are full of character, from items that are typical of a photographer to items filled with the longing of a young boy.
Shingo Wakagi / Photographer
Born in 1971 in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Interested in photography from an early age, he carried a camera with him. After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York with a degree in photography, he worked as a freelance photographer for magazines and advertising media. Later, as an extension of his work as a photographer, he also ran a bookstore, launched a magazine, and directed a movie, pursuing what he wanted to do without limiting his field of work.
Rolleiflex camera
I had a number of analog cameras myself, but I could not sell this camera, even though I had sold most of the ones I could digitize. I myself had a number of analog cameras, but I couldn't sell this camera while I had sold most of the ones I could digitize. This is a camera with an integrated lens, and there are photos that can only be taken with this camera. That is why I have always treasured it.
film
I had the opportunity to interview Bruce Weber for a magazine assignment, and this is what he gave me. After following him for a day, I told him I wanted his autograph at the end of the interview, and he took out a film and wrote on it. The message here is 'Don't Waste it. It's a very impressive photographer's idea, and it's very valuable to me. I have kept it in a safe place.
Tote bag & shopper "BOOKS AND PRINTS
I have loved tote bags so much that I found myself overflowing them all over my house and had to get rid of the ones I didn't need. The ones I brought today are the ones I still cherish because I could not throw them away. The canvas tote was ordered from a bag maker in Hamamatsu and is a very special item. The graphics on the shopper and eco-bag were drawn by my father. In the end, there are still things that have a connection with people. I want to cherish things that show people to me, and not just tote bags."
skateboard
I got this skate deck from my college classmate Mike Ming, who now works as an illustrator in New York City. He himself painted the one without wheels on it. Mike and I have been friends for 27 years now, including a solo exhibition together at Parco Gallery in 1997. I don't skate myself, but there is something about skate decks that tickles my manhood.
Knife "G. SAKAI
This knife, like the skate deck, is one of those things that tickles a man's fancy and that he wants to keep even though he never gets to use it (laughs). When I was in junior high school, my father was trying to start some kind of business. Influenced by a magazine he happened to be looking at, Mono Magazine, he decided to sell knives, and the family went to Sakai, Osaka, a town famous for its cutlery, to stock up. The wholesaler gave me this knife as a commemorative gift, saying, "Since you came all the way here, you can have this knife. I have had it for more than 30 years, but I have never used it (laughs). It is so shiny and beautiful that I intend to keep it in this condition for a long time.
Chair "Artek
This is a chair designed by Alvar Aalto. I recently had the opportunity to go to Finland for an interview, and the president of the company who took me there bought many chairs of this brand, so the store owner gave me one as a free gift. I was very happy because the item was something I had said I wanted to buy because I have a small child. It's a child's chair, but I usually keep it in my car."
record (e.g. LP)
They are all Russian pianist records. During the production of my very first film, "Waltz in Starlight," I was looking for songs to play in the film, and I came across them and fell in love with them. It is a record by a Russian pianist on the "Melodia" label. This label used to be state-run, and I like the piano-only music made in that era. All of them are 10 inches in size, which is rare. I met them at a record shop in Jimbocho that specializes in classical music, taken there by Kyoji Takahashi, the photographer who introduced me to Mashiko Town.
(somebody's) side
Fernando Pessoa's "The Book of Anxiety" is one of my favorite books, one that I don't throw away, give away, or buy again. William Burroughs is a writer I met when I was in the US. Jack Kerouac is generally considered the leading beatnik writer, but I knew Burroughs first, and from there I started to become interested in the writers of the beatnik generation. I think it is a kind of bad culture, but no matter how much time passes, the works of the beatnik generation never go out of style. There is a kind of coolness that I can't grasp. I just think it's amazing."
Sleeping bag "WESTERN MOUNTAINEERING
I got this item when I went to the John Muir Trail for an expedition, and I was there for about five days. This sleeping bag is filled with those memories."
Theremin, stuffed animals, sissing bowls
The unique graphic is a theremin. I can't play an instrument, so I enjoy the pleasure of playing while touching it (laughs). (Laughs.) By the way, the graphics were drawn by Mike Min. The singing bowl is the same as the singing bowl, and when I rub the edge of the bowl with a wooden stick, it makes a sound like waves, which I enjoy playing with. The stuffed bobcat I got when I went to Los Angeles. I'm not very interested in stuffed animals (laughs), but I thought this one was nice, so I bought it.
Photo
This is a picture of my grandfather. I took this picture of him wearing his own sunglasses that he had just bought, and he looked good in this pose. The pose was intentional, but I didn't ask for this expression. It's kind of strange that I got this expression, even though I didn't even know what it meant to give the middle finger, let alone the image of wearing sunglasses. Being able to capture a moment that I didn't have in my head is one of my favorite things about photography because it's so much fun."
Photo_Fumihiko Ikemoto
Text_Yuichiro Tsuji
Edit_Jun Nakada
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