Interview with Kuroe

Kuroe is a 21 year old photographer and graphic designer from Japan who began taking photos in 2009. She was intrigued with images which told a story beyond it’s initial viewing and likes to experiment with images altering them using shapes and colors. Her images can be described as haunting and mysterious.

I make a short story for each photo; each photo is like a scene of a movie. This is my style. I’m really glad if those who see my pictures and can imagine a story which begins from the picture.

Kuroe has been a frequent exhibitor at Nagoya Creators’ Market” and has designed flyers for music bands, theatrical companies and others. She will have an exhibition of her work at “Design Festa Gallery” in Harajuku (Tokyo) between April 14 and April 20. of 2012.

Kuroe, you are a graphic designer and photographer. What first started your interest in photography?

By nature, I like to design from way back, and I had been attending a vocational school about designing. While I was learning techniques at school, I met various works and, I thought that I also want to express my feelings, thought, and something I want to tell. Then, I hit upon an idea that to use photographs.

I like to take pictures, and more than anything, it’s handy. At first, I started to take pictures by a digital camera ; it is handier.

What are some of the projects you have been working on lately? Can you tell us about some of the flyers you have designed?

Recently I designed a flyer of an event ” Door Code. “.

This is a collage work, so I didn’t use photographs. Its image is that unknown world is rushing out from a door. Another one is a flyer of a theatrical company. Its theme is a children’s story “The Little Match Girl”.

Legs at the top of the picture are the girl’s legs, who is helpless, and is standing at a snowing street. The arm at the lower side is the girl’s arm. The girl is trying to catch matches.

Then, themes of next usual my work that I myself take photographs are, one is a funeral, and another one is “Alice in Wonderland”. Schedule of shooting isn’t decided yet.

When you first began experimenting with photography what were some of your favorite subject matters to shoot?

To shoot persons is pleasant. Since I’m female and I understand them well, I shoot females mainly. I want to shoot males, but I must understand them well!

For my policy, I never shoot ruins, factories, and the great nature. Because everyone can take cool photographs and, become not to make effort to make photographs look as cool as possible.

Your photographs are very stark and bold. You manipulate the contrast and color as well as add textures. What software do you use and how much time do you take on each photo?

I use Adobe Photoshop CS3 for photo manipulating and, it is different by photos, I take from one hour to, in longer case, 5 or 6 hours but regardless of whether it takes many times or not, it’s pleasant.

You recently did a series of photos of a line of schoolgirls standing in various places. What do you hope the viewer of your photos would imagine about the series?

This series of photos’ theme is “students”. This is peculiar to Japanese students, they persist in being with other persons.They hate to be excluded, and they laugh at someone who is alone and they can’t have lunch alone, and can’t have a student life normally without being with someone.

I hate it.

So I set the theme focusing on a girl who is attending such a school. Though there’re some girls in photos actually, for me, there’s just a girl. These photographs express a girl’s various faces, personalities, anxiety and hope.

The reason why their poses are same is because they’re actually the same person .

I’m glad if the viewer imagined how is she having her student life, what anxiety does she have, and fear to be alone.

Another series shows a girl in black pointing. The photos are very mysterious.It makes the viewer wonder what she is pointing at and why? What was the concept behind this series of photos?

What she is pointing is people and something.

She is ridiculing them.

This is also peculiar to Japanese women, though, they are fond of rumor about others. In terrible case, they say bad things about others and, they comes in contact with those who are said badly with seeming pleasantness.

Don’t you think it’s very strange?

They regard saying others badly as a taste. It is very fearful. Finally they point at each other, and each of them are pointed without their knowledge.

What photographers, designers or artists do you admire?

My favolite graphic designer is Ayame Adachi and Manabu Mizuno. Their styles are directly opposite, but they sprout me new images. Their existence is an important origin for me to be a designer.

Recently I took a liking to an photographer Ellen Rogers. I like her shade and world view very much.

What equipment do you use?

EOS kiss x5, Canon.

When you are not working, what do you enjoy doing?

To sleep well and to eat delicious foods with person I like.

What do you hope to be doing five years from now?

5 years… What can I do?

I’m afraid of to age. I want to do everything I can, so that I’m satisfied even if I die tomorrow.

(Translated by Keno)

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