Chick Corea, pianist (II)

In Novermber 2010, I interviewed the jazz pianist Chick Corea by telephone for the Japan Times. Chick was in a hotel in Los Angeles. This is the first 13 or 14 minutes of a 20-minute interview.

Sousuke Fujimoto, architect

In October, 2010, I intereviewed the architect Sousuke Fujimoto about his exhibition at the Watarium Museum in Tokyo.

Hiroshi Nakamura, architect

Yuki Onodera, photographic artist

On 20th August, 2010, I interviewed the artist/photographer Yuki Onodera about her exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. As she was in Paris, we spoke by telephone for a little under half an hour. I have preserved her heavily-accented and often ungrammatical English both because that's what we do here and because it has a certain charm.

Minoru Miki, composer

In late 2009, I interviewed Minoru Miki, a modern classical composer, conductor, musician, and musicologist. The interview was by email. Although Miki's English is rather good, he answered my English questions in Japanese. These were then translated into English by Leanne Ogasawara.

Trevor Brown, painter (II)

"Humpty" by Trevor Brown

Following the opening of Trevor Brown’s "Alice" show at the Bunkamura Gallery, I visited the exhibition on Friday 2nd of April, 2010 and met the artist. Later I interviewed him by email (apparently his preferred means of communication) for Culturekiosque, an on-line, US-based culture "magazine."

Anton Kannemeyer, artist

Between February 19th and March 19th 2010, I interviewed the "controversial" South African artist Anton Kannemeyer by email. I intermittently sent him one - sometimes more - questions every few days and waited for his answers before pressing on. Kannemeyer is a cartoonist and printmaker. His art is very "racial" and political, dealing with the tensions, contradictions, and stereotypes of post-Apartheid South Africa. A couple of weeks after the main interview, Eugene Terre'blanche, the leader of the White separatist AWB party was murdered, so I contacted Kannemeyer again with some additional questions.

Mikiko Kumazawa, artist

Mikiko Kumazawa is an artist, who does large drawings full of chaotic and humorous details. In October, 2009, I was writing a short article about her exhibition at the Citizen's Gallery at the Setagaya Art Museum, so I emailed her a few questions, and got the following response.

Mayu Endo, Miss Universe Japan 2000

In April or May 2000, the owner of Tokyo Journal, Dr. Stephan Hauser, asked me to do an article on Mayu Endo, the new Miss Universe Japan. As Hauser was desperately trying to sell advertising space, he also roped in Dr. Andy Wong, a skin care specialist, who had treated Ms. Endo's skin. This made the interview a three-cornered affair with Dr. Andy occupying an interesting intermediate role between interviewer and interviewee. Hauser's hope was that Wong would be so flattered by the experience that he would gladly start advertising in our magazine. Needless to say, this underpowered scheme by the crafty German didn't quite work out. Quite satisfied with the free exposure he got through the article, Dr. Andy sensibly decided to advertise elsewhere.