Not “The Finish” as in ruddy cheeked nordic-folk, but as in the ending of the exhibition.
Things went well, heard a lot of interesting comments and questions. The most common observation from Japanese visitors was that they were unaware of such things between Gaijin in Japan (the documented look) and most Non-Japanese agreed that the Gaijin Stare is always something that happens. A young Japanese woman let me know that one of the featured men happened to be her friend’s English teacher, which led to a facebook message (from her) detailing his name, country of origin, purpose of study in Japan, etc. I will not do anything with this information, but it is quite interesting to know.
Something else to mention is that on the first day a young couple told me that they like the blog and then asked for a picture together. This variation of the “I know you from the internet” experience was slightly unfamiliar, as usually “Oh, I know you” is said after I sign in to a gallery guest book or stop a guy on the street to check out his Leica. Being (even once) a photo opportunity is . . . exactly as you imagine it might feel. (fine).
But as far as exhibiting is concerned, it is one thing to get all into Internet Photography, but entirely another to get out and visit galleries and the photographers in real space and time. This week I was lucky to be on the receiving end of the photo culture of Tokyo, and I want to thank everyone who made it out to the show this week.
It was great so see some old friends, and also fantastic to meet some really interesting people for the first time.
Also-
Several people today asked where the Aisatsu (statement) to the show can be found online, and the answer is just below this sentence:
Gaijin Like Me
John Sypal
While the term refers to all non-Japanese, it would seem that popular Japanese culture assumes that a “Gaijin” is a white male, comically portrayed with a large nose and blond hair. He probably is not so great with chopsticks.
Life as a “Gaijin” in Japan affords one a certain amount of freedom from Japanese societal norms. Being just culturally and linguistically ignorant enough can provide a wonderful lens by which to live in an Oriental culture so far from home. Everyone gets their own Private Tokyo.
Admittedly, I fit firmly within this particular sub-group of non-Japanese. While we are different from most of the Japanese population, we are not so different from each other. Most of us are educated, gainfully employed, and came to Japan purely by choice.
Coming to Japan many Gaijin enjoy a sudden and new type of popularity that they were denied in their home country. Suddenly you find yourself getting applause for correct chopstick use, being cooed at for saying a simple “Arigato”, or getting told you are “More Japanese than Japanese people” after saying that you played Super Mario Brothers as a child.
For a lot of us, the rather banal fact that we are somewhat privileged foreigners lets us think that we are in fact, Unique.
So what happens when all these unique guys run into each other on the street? Ever since first coming to Japan in 1998, I noticed that more often than not, when passing another white guy on the street, I was given the “Gaijin Stare”. It is a subdued confrontation that investigates the Other and possibly works to defend one’s personal sense of place. Maybe this is the look of someone finding their Unique Gaijin Experience being compromised.
The “Gaijin Stare” shown here is an event that the average Japanese person is completely unaware of. After getting so many of these Gaijin Stares, I decided to stare back and point my lens towards this phenomenon. I never once went out on a hunt for Gaijin, opting instead to simply photograph the ones that came my way.
The look here is odd in its consistency. I don’t think that it is simply an aversion to being photographed by a stranger. What’s funny is that I get this look even without a camera in my hand.
As for the pictures of other men with cameras, why is it that Gaijin searching for a “personal vision” of Japan while snapping away at unsuspecting Japanese people for their online web galleries look upset when their picture is taken by another white guy? What unspoken rule was broken?
Making these pictures became a way of understanding an aspect of who I am in Japan.
The photographs make me a little uncomfortable in that they expose more than I’d like to show.
Gaijin Like Me
John Sypal
「ガイジン」・・・定義では日本人以外の全ての外国人を指すはずの言葉ですが、一般的な日本文化において「ガイジン」と聞いて思い浮かべるのは、高い鼻と金髪でいたずらにデフォルメされた白人男性というイメージのようです。付け加えるならば、恐らくお箸の使い方もままならないタイプの白人男性。
「ガイジン」としての日本での生活は、日本の社会標準に捕らわれることのない一定の自由を約束してくれます。文化的にも言語的にもほどよく無知であることで手にできる不思議なレンズ。そのレンズによって、母国から遠く離れた東洋の文化の中に彼らは暮らすことができます。そしてすべてのガイジンは、「自分だけの特別な東京」を手にするのです。
非日本人というこの特定の集団に、私自身も当てはまるのは当然ながら明らかです。
私たちガイジンは、日本人と比べれば異なった存在ではあるものの、私たち同士を比べてみるとさほどの相違点はありません。学歴があり、実入りのいい仕事を手にし、まったくの必然として自身の選択により日本にやってきた、というのがほとんどの場合の共通点です。
日本にやって来たガイジンは、突然周囲にもてはやされるようになり、本国では得る事のなかった人気者の地位を満喫します。お箸を正しく使えただけで拍手喝采を浴び、「ありがとう」のような簡単な日本語を発しただけで優しく声をかけられたり、あるいは、子供の頃スーパーマリオで遊んだ事があると告白しただけで「日本人より日本人っぽい」などと言われたり・・・。
多くのガイジンは、自分たち外国人が少なからずある種の特権階級にいるらしいという月並みな事実によって、自身が実は唯一無二のユニークな存在なのだと思ってしまいがちになるのです。
こうしたユニークな存在であるガイジン同士が道で出くわしたらどうなるでしょう？
初めて来日した１９９８年以来、しばしば気になって来たのが、街で白人男性とすれ違うときに受ける「ガイジンの視線」です。その視線には、相手を瞬時にチェックし、自分の居場所を守ろうとするための、控えめとはいえ対決の意が見てとれます。恐らくそれが、自分だけの特別なガイジン体験が損なわれたと知った瞬間の表情なのでしょう。
ここでお見せする「ガイジンの視線」は、平均的な日本人が決して気づく事の無い不思議な現象だと言えます。このようなガイジンの視線に幾度となく出会ってから、私は目をそらす事無く見つめ返し、この現象にレンズを向けてみようと決めました。撮影の為にガイジンを求めて出かけたことは一度も無く、ただ私の前に表れた人々にカメラを向けたまでです。
彼らの表情が、どれも一様である事は奇妙です。それが、見知らぬ人に写真を撮られることに対する単なる嫌悪感の表れだとは思いません。おもしろいのは、彼らからこうした視線を受けるのは、私がカメラを手にしている時に限らないという点です。
中には、カメラを手にした人々の写真もあります。「オリジナルな日本」をどうにか記録しようとするガイジンは、自慢のウェブギャラリーの為に日本人の姿を気づかれない内にスナップ写真に収めています。それなのに、自分たちが写真を撮られる事、しかも白人男性にカメラを向けられる事で不愉快そうな表情を浮かべるのはなぜでしょう？何か暗黙のルールでもあるというのでしょうか？
彼らの写真を撮ることは、日本に暮らす私自身の存在を理解するアプローチの一手段となりました。私が求めていた以上に、こうした写真があらわにするものが大きく、少し戸惑ってはいますが。
