Was it difficult to come up with 15 different interpretations of yourself?
Yes, I was concerned in the beginning that the teams were going to capture me in similar ways, but luckily everyone had individual ideas and I was so amazed by each and every one. I didn’t need to worry after all!
Which were the most extreme in difference? What characters did you play in those?
Well, there is one photo by Jeff Bark that only shows one of my body parts, so completely unrecognisable but very artistic. On the other hand, Daniel Sannwald created a portrait that shows me in this metallic, 3D form. That shows the range everyone might see from the exhibit.
What do you think projects like this say about beauty?
Having a new generation of people take photographs of me was very refreshing, because even though I worked for so long with veterans of the industry, these photographers produced even more interpretations of beauty than I thought possible. It just goes to show how diverse the perception of everyone can be when it comes to capturing a subject creatively. In the end, beauty truly has endless meaning.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, are there any strange foods/films/songs etc. you love that others don’t?
My favorite food is pickled plum, which is part of very traditional Japanese cuisine. Most people find the taste very strange, but ever since I was young I ate it every single day. I like to think that because it’s very healthy, that it at least helped me develop good habits.
If you could be photographed by anyone in the world, past or present, outside of the exhibition, who would you choose and what would the image look like?
I’ve always wished that I lived in the era of Richard Avedon. He photographed women in ways that made them all even more extraordinary, and I have even thought about what I might do if I was the one in front of his camera and crew. All in all, his photos will always inspire me to do better in all my own work.
Tao Okamoto 15 Opening Celebration is tonight May 8th, 7pm to 10:30pm. Public Viewing opens Friday 9th May, 9am – 4pm.
Credits
Text Felicity Kinsella
Photography Victor Demarchelier
Model Tao Okamoto at The Society Management