0040PC2S. “November 6, 1998 – Welcome to Japan! – Eikoh Hosoe”
(POSTCARD, 4x6 inch, black and white, written in 1998)
By November 1998, we had been living in Toronto for over a year. Our former studio in Hong Kong had been converted into an exhibition space, while in Toronto, we were preparing to establish a photo gallery. Because of these ongoing projects, I had to travel frequently between Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, and Toronto during the first few years after our move.
Oracle, an international organization of photography curators, held annual meetings in different locations. In 1998, the theme was Asian Photography, and the venue was K*MoPA, with Eikoh Hosoe as the host. I was invited to present on Hong Kong photography. The conference brought together over 150 curators from museums and galleries worldwide. As one of the speakers, I was accommodated in the museum’s affiliated hotel. Upon entering my room, I immediately noticed a postcard inscribed with “Welcome to Japan!” and signed by Eikoh Hosoe himself. The image on the postcard was from his 1960 work Man and Woman.
Before the 21st century, Eikoh Hosoe was one of the three most internationally recognized Japanese photographers, renowned for his photobook Barakei – Killed by Roses, featuring Yukio Mishima. The conference schedule was tightly packed, and two days later, we visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography for the opening ceremony of a new exhibition.
On my last night at K*MoPA, I wrote to Holly using the Hosoe-signed postcard, sharing my experience. The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography was already a familiar place to me—my works had been exhibited there in Asian View in 1996, and the museum later acquired them for their collection. Whenever I visited Tokyo, I made it a point to stop by and reconnect with curator friends.
One unique arrangement at TMMP for this gathering was the display of stacks upon stacks of photography publications, all published by the museum, arranged along the theater stage—free for visiting curators to take. These were substantial, weighty books.
Prior to the conference, I had arranged for 200 copies of On Hong Kong, a DISLOCATION special edition, to be couriered from Hong Kong for distribution at the event. However, compared to TMMP’s presentation, our effort felt rather modest.
A major discussion point at the conference was how conventional photography history had been largely written from a North American perspective, often neglecting European and Asian viewpoints due to overlooked materials from these regions. I am certain that after delving into the publications, these 150 curators left with a better understanding of photography in this part of the world.
「1998年11月6日，日本歡迎你！細江英公」
1998年11月，我們已舉家移居了多倫多一年許。香港從前的影室，易改成為展覽中心，又要籌備多倫多的畫廊，由於不少相關活動，來加之後的兩三年，每年均在香港，東京，紐約，多倫多等四地來回幾趟。Oracle 是一個國際性的攝影策展人組織，每年均選擇在不同地方進行年度的交流會議。1998年該組織的年度會議以亞洲攝影為主題，選了細江英公為舘長的K*MoPA美術館作為會議地點。我被邀請作介紹香港的攝影。是次會議有一百五十多人參加，都是在不同各地，美術館或畫廊的策展人。我由於是其中的講者，被安排在與美術館附設的酒店居住。一踏進房間，便看見「日本歡迎你！」細江英公親筆簽名的明信片。是細江1960作品：男與女。在21世紀之前，在國際最為人熟悉的三位日本攝影師，細江英公是其一。他以拍攝三島由紀夫的攝影集：「薔薇刑」(Barakei – Killed by Roses)為人所樂道。會議議程緊密，兩天之後我們便被安排往東京，參觀東京都寫真美術館，及該館新展覽的開幕。離開K*MoPA 之前一晚，我使用這張有細江簽名的明信片，寫給楚喬。也算是共享紀念物。東京都寫真美術館是我熟悉之地，1996年「Asian View」他們展出過我的作品，及後又全部購為藏品。每訪東京，我必訪該館也探望在館工作的策展人舊友。是次在該館活動，還有一項特別安排，在展館劇院，台邊滿放了該館歷年的攝影出版物，任由這伙來自世界各地的攝影策展人自取。每冊都是那麼份量厚重，看你能夠吸納多少。其實，在之前的會議，我已安排了從香港速遞200冊女那禾多特集「香港論」，分贈參加會議之各人。相對東京都美術館的安排，我們的只覺那麼微不足道。是次會議我們討論到，如何改寫攝影歷史一貫以北美洲為主軸的看法。寫歷史的人只是沒有看到歐洲或是亞洲的一面。相信東京都寫真美術館的出版物群，給150人上了實在的一課。