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Thank you very much for coming in such large numbers today. I feel very honoured to be able to organise such a wonderful exhibition.
\nI would like to sincerely thank those who have supported me: the sculptor Karel Fron, the gallery staff and my friends in Munich.
\nLet me give a short speech at the opening. I will ask my friend Veronika to translate it.
\nWhen I came to Munich for the first time in 1984, 39 years ago, I was just 18 years old.
\nI hitchhiked from Paris and when I arrived in Munich it was late at night and raining. I remember collecting chairs that had been left behind in a square near the town hall to spread my sleeping bag on.
\nBy the way, in Japan you actually still go to school at 18, but I dropped out in the middle.
\nSchool education in Japan emphasises harmony (you could also say uniformity) rather than awakening individuality. You are forced to wear the same clothes and bags, and growing your hair long as a boy is unforgivable. If you stand out from the crowd by wearing flashy clothes or expressing a different opinion, you are not welcome by the teachers. I could no longer bear this constricted everyday life and fled Japan.
\nAfter about eight months, I returned to Japan, passed the university entrance exam and went to university. During that time, I went to Europe almost every year and travelled around for several months.
\nThe atmosphere in Europe was full of freedom. The people I met enjoyed drinking and discussing and were always curious to hear my personal opinion.
\nIt was not important what I thought as an average Japanese, but what I personally thought. More important than nationality or educational background was the question \u2018What kind of person are you?\u2019 and I felt the relentless harshness of being treated like an adult, but it was something new and enjoyable. Until then I had no self-confidence and it made me stronger.
\nWell, the portraits exhibited here today show people who live in a so-called doya-gai, a problem neighbourhood near Tokyo.
\nMost of them live on a small amount of public assistance. They are people who have lost their jobs, their property and even their families due to a series of unfortunate circumstances.
\nWhen I look at them, I ask myself what people hold on to until the end.
\nIronically, the \u2018self\u2019 comes to the fore particularly strongly when people find themselves in a situation like this. You could also call it \u2018pride\u2019 and I think it’s beautiful.
\nWhat impression do the photos make on you?
\nIf I hadn’t been taught the importance of respect for the individual when I was growing up in Europe, I might never have noticed their beauty.
\nTo this day, Munich is a very familiar city full of memories and great friends, so I am especially happy that you can see my first solo exhibition in Europe in this city.
\nThank you very much for your time today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"