Paola Palmaro interviews
Ai Tanaka
Interview to Ai Tanaka
1
Paola
Do you exist for you feminine universe? What do you like to put in evidence of its in your photographs and self-portraits? For example: how do live live your essence soul's, how do imagine your world, or what do feel through your emotions experience of daily life?
Ai Tanaka Most of my photos are self-portraits, it means that I am taking photo by myself. Taking a picture for me is like breathing. When I foucus my breathing, I can feel Universe inside and outside. It is coming and going through my body. And it reminds me that I am a part of it. Taking picture is also that brings me essence, depth. Rather than focusing on surface of myself during taking pictures, I prefer feel my heart (empty space).It is like the energy is coming back to me. Everything is harmonized in this moment, in this space. When I take photo of someone is the same, too. I ask them to breathe consciously, because it brings them to relax naturally. For me there is no boundary between women and men. There is a moment to make harmony and unseen something, a connection with the Creator, space, universe unknown. It is expressed through us. Interview to Ai Tanaka
2
Paola
What relationship do you have with the sea and nature in general? Often in your images the sea is present with a very powerful energy, it isn't a choreography but appears like the same other subjects which you photographed in the scene.
Ai Tanaka I just love them very much and I naturally resonate with them . Because it is said that our body is made with about 70% water. Perhaps the sound of the waves resonates with the water in my body. So I can relax and I feel like we are one.
Interview to Ai Tanaka
3
Paola
What is for you to photograph?
Ai Tanaka A photograph is a miracle that moment is reflected. It 's a moment which we can never meet again, like a proof that it existed in that moment.
Interview to Ai Tanaka
4
Paola
Looking through the photographic lens is like having a third eye or it's a door which connects you to all focusing universes and converge in your sensibility and experience?
Ai Tanaka It's the moment when everything becomes "one" in harmony. I am watching through the lens, but I don't see it at the same time. For example, here is one flower. It is close to the feeling of receiving the feeling that flowers are watching me rather than looking at the flowers. When I take selfie, my eyes are watching the camera of course, but the energy that the eyes release is directed towards within myself.
Interview to Ai Tanaka
5
Paola
What does it mean for you "time" and "space", what relationship do you have with these two dimensions so important in our lives, both physically both spiritually?
Ai Tanaka I do not really know how the time really exists. Based on the concept that we created by humans it may be that we believe that this is time. There is a past, the future exists, and there is a present in the meantime. However, although I am from my own experience, I feel that the flow of time is not the same. At one time, I feel the flow of time quickly and I feel late at times. It may well be related to space. I do not know well about space, perhaps it may be a place to connect when feeling deep inside of myself. It is quiet and calm there. Every time I breathe I feel touching that calm place. And it will return myself at this moment. In this moment there is no time. There is no past and future in this moment. And I feel this moment connects next moment. We are living in the world that has time. But we can feel the space connects in this moment within ourselves. I feel that It brings us relax more and easy to live.
Interview to Ai Tanaka
6
Paola
Are light and shadows for you a perfect alchemy which relate our way of life and thinking or are they in contrast and contradict our objective and spiritual sensitivity?
Ai Tanaka I think light and shadow are one phenomenon. I think that it is an appearance of duality existing in this world. And that there is no good bad there. It is understood that light is light because of the shadow. You can see that the shadow is a shadow by the presence of light It shows me unexpected moment for me. And when they encounter in space, I see the moment when light and shadow harmonize. As soon as I find that moment, I will jump into it and I'm already shooting. It is a wonderful moment where I can see myself that I do not even imagine. It shows me unexpected moment for me.
Interview to Ai Tanaka
7
Paola
When you decide to photograph have you already in mind what you want to tell or capture, or yours is a continual search dictated by inspiration?
Ai Tanaka It always comes naturally and suddenly with inspiration. It is a feeling that it is called by something rather than shooting with my own will. When I take photos I feel like I surrender to what I do not know in this moment.
Interview to Ai Tanaka
8
Paola
What other languages do you like and speak? Do you love literature, cinema, theater, music, and how important are they in your way of photographing?
Ai Tanaka I like French and Korean. I like watching movies and listening to music. I do not know if it is particularly important for me, but I think that it affects my senses.
Interview to Ai Tanaka
9