PRESS RELEASE | page 1 David Bowie & Masayoshi Sukita HEROES opening | March 9 th , 2017 from 18.30 exhibition | from March 10 th to April 26 th , 2017 [dip] contemporary art is delighted to present Japanese artist Masayoshi Sukita, for its third exhibition in Lugano, Switzerland. The exhibition is a project jointly organized with Think Design, Lugano, and it is the first exhibition in Switzerland devoted to the Japanese photographer who captured and inspired David Bowie for over 40 years. Born in 1938 in Nogata, northern Japan, Sukita’s photos are probably the most important ones on the London artist. Although his work is known worldwide through the iconic shots that illustrated the album cover HEROES, few people know that the relationship between Bowie and Sukita has over the years transformed into a friendship that has created a real association between the two artists, as well as in intimate shots and disarming beauty for their daily lives that are presented, some for the first time, at [dip]. Why putting together such a unique event dedicated to the White Duke and the photographer who immortalised him? The underlying reasons are related not only to the desire to pay tribute to the artist and to his career, but also to uncover the deeper sides of Bowie’s soul, which would otherwise remain hidden forever. These intimate snapshots are disarmingly beautiful: some with unique simplicity, others with their provocativeness. The photographer. Masayoshi Sukita was born in 1938 in Nogata, northern Japan. He graduated from the “Japan Institute of Photography”, where he studied with Shisui Tanahashi. He started working in advertisement and moved to Tokyo in 1965, where he mainly worked with men’s fashion photos, winning several awards. Later, he developed a great interest in subcultures and in 1969 he attended the Woodstock Festival. From there, as a freelance photographer, he began visiting New York. He was a great lover of art, music and cinema, and when he went to London in 1972 he had a dazzling encounter with David Bowie. He was driven to attend his concert by the promotional poster for The Man Who Sold the World, which totally hypnotised him. The most significant moment in the relationship between the two undoubtedly came in 1977 when Bowie returned to Tokyo with Iggy Pop, and it was on this occasion the White Duke asked Sukita to portray him in a lengthy photo session. The Japanese photographer did not know yet, but one of those shots later become the famous cover for the “HEROES” album. Sukita acquired international fame and, in addition to Bowie, he shot on camera a number of contemporary legends. Among them are Marc Bolan, Cyndi Lauper, Iggy Pop, Brian Eno, Jordan, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Lee Morgan, New York Dolls, Francis Ford Coppola, Billy Joel, Chuck Berry, Elvis Costello, Boy George, Vivienne Westwood, The Police, Billy Idle and many more.
Transcript
PRESS RELEASE| page 1
David Bowie & Masayoshi Sukita
HEROESopening | March 9th, 2017 from 18.30
exhibition | from March 10thto April 26th,
2017[dip] contemporary art is delighted to present Japanese artist Masayoshi Sukita, for its third exhibition in Lugano, Switzerland. The exhibition is a project jointly organized with Think Design, Lugano, and it is the first exhibition in Switzerland devoted to the Japanese photographer who captured and inspired David Bowie for over 40 years.
Born in 1938 in Nogata, northern Japan, Sukita’s photos are probably the most important ones on the London artist. Although his work is known worldwide through the iconic shots that illustrated the album cover HEROES, few people know that the relationship between Bowie and Sukita has over the years transformed into a friendship that has created a real association between the two artists, as well as in intimate shots and disarming beauty for their daily lives that are presented, some for the first time, at [dip].
Why putting together such a unique event dedicated to the White Duke and the photographer who immortalised him? The underlying reasons are related not only to the desire to pay tribute to the artist and to his career, but also to uncover the deeper sides of Bowie’s soul, which would otherwise remain hidden forever. These intimate snapshots are disarmingly beautiful: some with unique simplicity, others with their provocativeness.The photographer. Masayoshi Sukita was born in 1938 in Nogata, northern Japan. He graduated from the “Japan Institute of Photography”, where he studied with Shisui Tanahashi. He started working in advertisement and moved to Tokyo in 1965, where he mainly worked with men’s fashion photos, winning several awards. Later, he developed a great interest in subcultures and in 1969 he attended the Woodstock Festival. From there, as a freelance photographer, he began visiting New York. He was a great lover of art, music and cinema, and when he went to London in 1972 he had a dazzling encounter with David Bowie. He was driven to attend his concert by the promotional poster for The Man Who Sold the World, which totally hypnotised him. The most significant moment in the relationship between the two undoubtedly came in 1977 when Bowie returned to Tokyo with Iggy Pop, and it was on this occasion the White Duke asked Sukita to portray him in a lengthy photo session. The Japanese photographer did not know yet, but one of those shots later become the famous cover for the “HEROES” album. Sukita acquired international fame and, in addition to Bowie, he shot on camera a number of contemporary legends. Among them are Marc Bolan, Cyndi Lauper, Iggy Pop, Brian Eno, Jordan, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Lee Morgan, New York Dolls, Francis Ford Coppola, Billy Joel, Chuck Berry, Elvis Costello, Boy George, Vivienne Westwood, The Police, Billy Idle and many more.
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Masayoshi SukitaMasayoshi Sukita was born in a small coal-mining town in the north region of Kyushu, Japan, in 1938. His father was killed on the front line in China during World War II. Though he died when he was just seven, Sukita has vivid memories of his father taking photographs. When he was a child, Sukita’s uncle would take him on trips to the cinema, something that would influence him throughout his life. In his teens, Sukita would cycle 100km to see imported American films. He was most inspired by fi lms starring Marlon Brando and James Dean, and those in which he encountered rock ’n’ roll. He credits film and music for teaching him expression in his photography. After high school, he attended and graduated from the “Japan Institute of Photography”, where he studied with Shisui Tanahashi. He then assisted an established photographer and entered the photographic division of an advertising agency in Osaka. Then in 1965 he moved to Tokyo, taking fashion photographs and filming TV commercials. He became a freelance photographer in 1970.Sukita’s works have been shown in numerous exhibitions as at the Brooklyn Museum, New York (2009), at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, at Shibuya Parco Museum in Tokyo, the Paul Smith Space Gallery and the SNAP Galleries London (2012), at the IMS Inter Media Station in Fukuoka (2013) , Bigstep Osaka (2014) and Mossgreen Gallery in Melbourne (2015).
[dip] contemporary art Located in Lugano (Switzerland) [dip] is a newborn contemporary art gallery, opened in October 2016 with the solo exhibition Portrait of Duration by French artist Melik Ohanian, followed by the first European show by Chinese photograher Wang Tong.The project stems from an idea of Michela Negrini, whishing to provide an innovative forum for contemporary art. Representing a range of international artists with many different perspectives, [dip] shares a deep commitment to art and a strong belief in the contribution that artists make to the world. [dip] mission includes setting in motion a dynamic number of initiatives, promoting art and launching an exciting dialogue challenging the existing dynamics and participating to the improvement of human relations, thanks to projects exploring global issues. Its interdisciplinary approach, pertaining a critical discourse in various spheres, aims at including collaborations with Universities, institutions and organizations while developing awareness and understanding, building a bridge between art and society, raising public attention on the issues that inspire and challenge our society.The diversity of the exhibitions programme sets [dip] as the original home both for well-known names, as for discovering your new favourite artists. To accompany the exhibitions, an education programme and an ongoing series of artists’ films, feature films and lectures takes place. platform for exploring new developments in international contemporary art, across a range of practices and media.
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┬® Photo by Sukita, Watch That Man III, 1973rca-010[1]
┬® Photo by Sukita,Keep Your 'lectric eye, 1973_
┬® Photo by Sukita, Starman, 1973
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for info:
[dip] contemporary art via dufour 21 (ang. via vanoni) 6900 Lugano (CH)Tel: +41 (0)91 921 17 17Mob: +41 (0)79 [email protected]
Visits: from JMarch 10th to April 26th Monday: closed ( or by appointment) Tuesday/Friday: 14.00 - 18.00 Saturday/Sunday and mornings: by appointment
┬® 1977 - 1997 Risky Folio, Inc., Courtesy of The David Bowie Archive TM
