Het is me een groot genoegen je werk te zien, vooral ‘I see a ghost’.
Het is cool jou licht op je nieuwe verhalen te zien.
Knuffels uit Chili!!

Eduardo

yes you are right that i would never put myself or my family (or anyone else for that matter) in danger for the sake of the project. i will not hesitate: the very instant that this is jeopardized i will pull out.

that said, the danger is very real. The danger isn’t any less because the interaction is very respectful and organized, or because it isn’t visible all the time. I am working with people who have been in prison for more than 20 years for capital crimes, people who have an entirely different moral code. people who are continually trained in various forms of combat, armed and unarmed. People who do not hesitate for one second. No, please don’t get me wrong, this is not a game at all. the fact that i am a westerner, only buys me a very very limited amount of credit here. I have no position of power or influence whatsoever.

It’s a completely different form, shape or situation compared to south america… i don’t think it’s going to get us anywhere to try compare the two, if that were even possible.

And finally: yes you analyzed it very well here: the access to the group or individual inner psyche is exactly what i hope will make this a strong story. the reflective states, the off guard moments…. those are the ones i am set on capturing, having my sixth sense (if i have one at all) turned on as full as i can…

thanks for the in depth analysis johan…

Cheers

The last thing they would want would be to brought under the spotlight from the media for any action like this. After travelling and drinking in South American cities at night, I can vouch that yes I definetely felt as though I was in precarious situations. Not trying some pathetic frat boy show of markmanship here, but just trying to put things into perspective. Also Japan has one of the strongest reputations for safety. Anyway, I hope that Anton doesn’t play on this notion of danger to himself with his finished artist statement, because I for one won’t buy that concept.

With respect to the photographs, I am really enjoying the muted colors. Numbers 1&3 are spectacular shots. I especially like the first with the boss in the car. Anton has really managed to capture a special gesture or facial expression. This is really a classy photo. I would much prefer photographs of the members in everyday settings, alongside law abiding citizens as this would be interesting to see this overall juxtaposition. Given the cultural differences (intrusion) it maybe difficult to procure shots of them with family. A 24-7 short essay, a day in the life would certainly have an interesting theme.

#2 I skipped almost immediately. Probably a necessary filler as it essential to the overall narrative, especially given the introduction provided here, but it screams of a cliche. In another sense, I was half expecting a similar photograph, like a full body shot of a Yakuza member displaying his body art.

#3 An inventive camera angle gives the viewer unprecedented access. This shot has a formidable boding about it, with the members on their way to a group meeting. Great timing allowed the positioning of so many faces in so many corners. I can count three faces in the back right corner.

Actually one of my favorite projects was Gilden’s portrayal of the yakuza. That series was in some ways better than his New York work, because a) he did it in such a short period of time b) there wasn’t the overuse of shock value that he employed with his American shots. I particularly liked the photo of the guy getting his haircut and the dye looked like blood. It will be an interesting sidenote to see how this project develops/compares to Gildens, in addition to the obvious difference of the choice of medium: black and white vs color.

In conclusion, I believe that the ultimate success of this project will lie in the mundane. Simple gestures, capturing the subjects offguard in a reflective state, as this will give the viewer access to the inner psyche of the group. Of course this would be incredibly difficult and will require intuition and sixth sense from Anton, but #1 has already demonstrated that he has those skills in his camera bag. If the project incorporates too many shots like #2, then I could see myself tuning out very quickly. These kind of shots have already been very closely aligned with the Yakuza and it would be a welcome surprise if they played a minor part in the overall ‘production’. But that is just me…

JJ

The images are really, real. For this photographer, it gives me the heebee jeebies just to imagine myself there.

Buen Suerte…viajes seguros

anton is working to a ‘double thumbs’ up method.. as mentioned before..
early days and i guess access has been the challenge, although i am certain he’ll expand. :o)

stoopid one.

i F**king LOVE that you dig what anton is doing.

AND whoever asked about the colour pallet.. great GREAT question which bought about a superb response which bought about a shifted perspective for me..
mood boards? gotcha.. knowing your work, anton, it makes perfect sense.

anton

it’s been great getting the vibe of your work in progress through conversation.. and i think.. you are making it look so very easy my friend.. such a talent to illustrate through the less obvious means like the tie n eye.. veerrry subtle and idiosyncratic.. not in the least what one would expect to see.

knowing how many trips you have so far undertaken.. how long in the planning and how great the financial and personal debt incurred by this project already..

i really love that you are accepting the idea of finding only a small handful of images on each trip over to japan.. from the outset you have decided that this is going to take a few years and i have nothing but respect for that lack of hit-and-run approach.

of course – looking forward to more and obviously looking forward to entertaining you in bergen..

if only i could find a safe way into the balkans mafia.. but, as we chatted on wednesday about.. it’s just too fresh.. to young a scene and too dangerous..

keep on my friend.

david.

it’s a complex situation which i am still doing more research on. i’m tired now (way past bedtime in europe), but yes, they are very much intertwined with society and have influence with the government. again something which i will describe in more detail later…

jim –

So many questions… i will try to answer briefly if you don’t mind:

Yes i use fictional names. i have my reasons for that.
No, consequences from publishing these images will not reflect on my access, trust, or my personal safety.
No, allowing me to publish recognizable pictures does not mean that they “do not care”.
And finally: yes, they know i am publishing their pictures.