Portrait of Kenzo. Installation view












Portrait de Kenzo, 2009



“ After I met Kenzo at a dinner party, he took me on a journey with him in his house on Rue Sedaine, where I got to know the objects residing there. As he was often absent at that time, he suggested I make a return visit, to get a better look at them.
I fell under the spell of a young boy’s Noh mask, one of Kenzo’s favourite objects... ”






Portrait of Kenzo, teaser of the animation in the eyes of the mask, 2009


Portrait of Kenzo, Kenzo dancing in traditional kimono, photograms from stop motion video, 2009       

The portrait of Kenzo is made up of two large black and white prints taken on an 8x10: the smiling stylist wears a traditional Japanese kimono, accompanied by his Noh mask, which is on the second panel of the diptych. The mask’s empty eye sockets become moving pupils as a video animation shows Kenzo dancing
with a fan, inspired by the gestures of the buyō dance. The Noh mask thus comes to life, looking at and questioning its double.







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