Awareness of Recording History at Every Moment
ーWhat do you think that artists are looking for in your photographs?
My style started in the early 2000s when I photographed The Barnstormers. David Ellis was there, and Madsaki would come and go. When I heard that they were going to paint a large mural in North Carolina, I had a feeling that it could be interesting and decided to go along. I was photographing them all the time, and the members gradually began to open themselves up to me. In this way, I was able to document their lives and the making of their works along with their art. (Included in the photo book, The Barns by the Barnstormers)
Some artists are willing to let me go that far, while others are not, so I’ll usually shoot with a sense of distance from the subject.
Recently, I’ve been photographing Mr. Tatehana’s work, and because of his creative point of view and firm commitment to photography, it feels like I’m documenting a story rather than just a photographic record, which is very gratifying.
I’m always conscious of the fact that I am documenting history, and no matter what subject I’m photographing, I always think of it as a kind of collaboration. Considering that, I’m always grateful that I’m allowed to shoot them as I do.
―Your creative life started with theater, but you decided to take up photography as a form of expression. Looking back, what do you think about it now?
When I was working in the theater, there were many times when I thought, “I want to remember this moment forever.” That happens in the flow of a theatrical story, so it’s nothing more than doing the same thing but with a photograph. I wanted to be a storyteller, but I was more interested in finding the story in the visuals, so this seemed to work better for me.
Interview Notes:
GION has a slight complex about not having a photography degree and not having been educated in the so-called art academy, but at the same time, he feels that he has been able to deal with art in a freer way because he has not had a fixed way of thinking forced upon him.
Having a storyteller’s point of view cultivated in the theater is the backbone of photographer GION. The accumulation of stories spun from this unwavering perspective can be conveyed via photographs, and we too can become witnesses to scenes from different eras. We are very fortunate to be exposed to such photos.
GION
https://www.gionstudio.com/
GION was born in Okayama, Japan. He developed his most important photographic techniques, “communication” and “story” through background as a theatrical director in Tokyo.
Based in New York since 1993, GION currently resides in Williamsburg Brooklyn, where he found this neighbor as his photographic subject, and created his books such as “Riverside Story”, “Riverside Story 2” and currently working on a new project “Domino Sugar Factory”. GION specializes in portraits and architectural photography for editorial and commercial fields. His fine art work also includes collaborations with artists such as The Barnstormers and Noritaka Tatehana.
Books
2011 Riverside Story 2
2008 The Barns by the Barnstormers
2007 SHAFT Doze Green/David Ellis
2001 Riverside Story