Takashi Homma

Takashi Homma was born in 1962 in Tokyo and studied photography at Nihon University College of Art. From 1991-92 he worked as a photographer for i-D magazine in London. 1991 he received the Kimura Ihei Commemorative Photography Award for “Tokyo Suburbia” and is represented by the Gallery 360 Degrees, Tokyo. 

Takashi Homma is approaching photography as art and describes his own works as, “various attempts to question ways of seeing the world using photography.” 

LIP: Which photo book influenced you the most and why?  

TH: There are many. I like photography as art more than just straight photography, Ed Ruscha, for example.  

LIP: What makes a good photo book for you?

TH: Good pictures.  

LIP: “Tokyo Suburbia” is a classic and a hard to get photo book collectible, now you published it as an app for the iPad and iPhone. Which kind of role do you think e-books will take in the future of photo books?

TH: People now can access to the book easily as a reference. That’s good thing. And I believe it makes original more valuable.  

LIP: With “Satellite 9” you had nine exhibitions and events all over Tokyo, accompanying your Retrospective “New Documentary” at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery.  Also you did a performance called “Rrreecconnstruccttt” together with Ivan Vartanian, where participants recompose cut up prints of yours, in order to question the nature of how an image is constructed.  How important are these events and the dialog with the audience to you? Is this something the photography world needs more?  

TH: Photography shouldn’t only be in the museum.  

LIP: What was the last good photo book you hold in your hands?

TH: Wolkenstudien. Cloud Studies. Études des nuages (Spector Books)

LIP: Can you tell us what you are working on right now?  

TH: Photographing mushrooms, cutting and re-editing photographs, shooting video, painting and more.