an interview with hide chan about the making of Mugongeki photo album.
Q: The last photo session was that of the cover for the album, right? Together with that baby.
hide: There was also an idea behind that. At the very first meeting I said, that I want to do an album that is an anti-thesis to everything. And so I got hooked by the title idea Mugongeki and told the others I want to embrace a child that has no mouth for the title page. But the “old man” was against it. But I said, “I have to do this album, therefore I want it that way” and in the end the “old man” agreed.
Q: Why did you want to make such a photo?
hide: Because I fell for the title and I wanted the title photo to look unspoiled and holy. Don’t you have that pretty often, when you look at a little child before it is able to remember words, you think: “too bad it has to grow up because it’s so cute now.” That’s true for young dogs and cats and also for children who are so cute when they are little. Therefore if it does not remember words, if it stays mute, then it will always be cute, even if it grows up. Therefore I wanted the child to have no mouth.
Q: But that shooting was pretty hard, wasn’t it?
hide: It was terrible! You know, usually I like children and they feel that and don’t cry when I’m around. But with that make-up and that costume that was impossible! (laugh). If I went away, it was okay, but when I was close it started to cry! If you look at my costume with a little child’s eyes, that enormous white wrapped head, that’s no invitation to laugh, it’s very scary! (laugh)
Q: It just didn’t stop crying, right?
hide: But it’s easy to forgive it because it’s so cute. But if I think about it again this shooting was really the most tiresome (laugh). Kids have lots of power, don’t they? It’s somehow life or death with them. They have lots of power indeed (laugh).
Q: And the title and the poems, have you done that all by yourself?
hide: I wanted to do that right from the start. If you just want to look at the images that’s of course okay as well. But for me, what I had imagined before the shooting and what I saw has come out in the end when I looked at the pictures, that was completely different. Therefore it is the same point of view for the one who made it as for the one who just sees the photos and so I just wanted to write down how to look at these pictures.
Q: Last question. Now when you look at the completed book what do you think about it?
hide: I’m simply very happy with it. I didn’t do this alone, it was done with the help of other artists’ powers as well. I’d like to thank all of the people who helped me to realize my ideas and visions very much.
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