INDEX
The Present and Future Value of Photography
Celeina: On September 10, you curated the one-day photo exhibition “TOKYO PHOTOGRAPHER’S EXHIBITION 2023” in Shinjuku.
Okazawa: I was in charge of curation as part of the “STRAYM” event planning, and I selected six people: Kyoji Takahashi, Meisa Fujishiro, Keiichi Nitta, Yasuyuki Takaki, P.M.KEN, and Masafumi Sanai. In my opinion, they are the leading photographers in Japan, so I offered them this time.
Takano: What was the content of the project?
Okazawa: Originally, I had the opportunity to work with them as a model and subject in the 1990s and 2000s, and I think they were quite influential on fashion and creative people in the West. So I selected and exhibited photos of each of these people.
There is a members-only floor on the 5th floor of the Kabukicho Tower called “EXSTION” that has a wellness theme, and we held a one-day photo exhibition, an event and party where we sold and displayed the photos.
Celeina: I heard that there were works for sale, but I thought it was great that if you bought a photo, you could get the right to have your portrait taken by the photographer, and you could also get NFT.
Okazawa: In the “STRAYM” project, it is very important for people to buy photos, but this time I was thinking about what the value of photography is as a theme. I wondered if the purchase of the physical art of photography is the value of the present, and having a photographer take the photos is the value of the future.
We wanted to offer a mixture of both, and each photographer agreed to participate. So, after the purchase, the photographers will take portraits, and the purchasers are allowed to NFT the portraits.
Celeina：Future value is a very positive and important concept. Both this NFT and “STRAYM” have a part of future value that may increase in price in the future, don’t they?
Okazawa: I would say that we should enjoy such values little by little. At auctions these days, the price goes up tremendously, and you hear the news the next day, but I hope that people will have an exciting experience by getting involved in a closer way.
Celeina: That sounds great. I would like to hear what you have to say, but I will send you one song first. Okazawa-san has chosen a song for us. What kind of song is it?
Okazawa: It’s called “Dream State” by an artist named Dennis. I listen to a lot of mixes of music I like on SoundCloud, etc., and I usually search for the ones I like on YouTube. I’m not that familiar with the song, but I chose it because I like the nice sky jacket with the clouds and the pleasant feeling of the song.
Celeina： Let’s listen to it together then.
