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cheerful02_ivy30 years since debut. Ken Miyake, who has always been the embodiment of an "idol" existence, has released a photo book entitled "THE iDOL Miyake Ken Photo Book" (Parco Publishing), which he himself directed and which takes as its theme his origins.
In addition, to commemorate the publication of the photo book, a photo exhibition entitled "KEN MIYAKE PHOTO EXHIBITION "THE iDOL" is currently being held at Shibuya Parco's "PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO."
This photobook was created with photographers Shun Omiyama and Yoko Kusano, stylist TEPPEI, with the theme "The Gap Between Illusion and Reality." The exhibition will also feature photos not included in the photobook, exhibition-exclusive collage works, and original goods for sale.
The subject, Miyake Ken, brings to light a new image of an idol. We talked to Miyake and TEPPEI, who handled styling, about the thoughts and production background behind the image.
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WWD : When did you start planning this photo book?
Miyake Ken : I had been thinking about a photo book for about two years. It was also the right time for me to start new activities as "Miyake Ken." While having dinner at a sushi restaurant with TEPPEI, a stylist I've known for many years, we talked about how it would be nice to turn myself into a work of art. When I told TEPPEI that I wanted to use the theme of "the gap between illusion and reality," he immediately replied, "Let's do it." From there, TEPPEI mentioned the name of Omiyama-san, who took the photos this time.
TEPPEI : I was talking to Ken at a sushi restaurant. The Ken I was referring to was Miyake Ken, who is known to everyone and is in the public. So I was always wondering in what world line this person was living in. As he continues to live his life as an idol, where is the real Ken-san? It was from this conversation that the phrase "between illusion and reality" came about. So I recommend Omiyama-san as a photographer who can really capture the real world in a slightly fantastical way.
WWD : Before that, had you ever worked with Omiyama?
Miyake : I had never done any work with him myself. It was TEPPEI introduced me to him as a photographer who captures the "gap between virtual and real," so I thought, "so we decided to let's ask him to do it."
WWD : Another person who was a photographer was Yoko Kusano-san, right?
Miyake : It was Omiyama's suggestion that Kusano be the director. Omiyama would shoot the "virtual image," and Kusano would record the "real thing," that is, what happened behind the scenes. To be honest, I wanted to start filming as soon as I first talked to TEPPEI, but due to preparations and various adjustments, we actually started filming in July last year.
TEPPEI : Ideally, it would be better if we could shoot regularly, like every month or every week. But in reality, that’s pretty difficult… When this project started, there was a plan to shoot it for a year, starting on Ken’s birthday (July 2nd).
Miyake : at first, I had the idea to shoot the film starting from my birthday on July 2nd. However, due to various circumstances, things didn’t go as planned. However, this project finally got underway last summer.
WWD : When you asked Omiyama-san to take your photos, did you make any requests?
Miyake : We decided on the title "THE iDOL" from the beginning, which is the same as my album title, and I talked about the significance of being a "subject" again after being an idol for 30 years. On top of that, we shared the concept of "between illusion and reality", and we talked about how this theme is related to the lyrics of my song “kanashī hodo ni aidoru,” and how the title of this photo book was the same as, or related to, the album of the same name that I released previously.
WWD : Was the idea for a photo exhibition something that was in your mind from the planning stages of the photo book?
Miyake : No, I had no plans to do so at all at first. Initially, I was planning to self-publish and sell the book online. However, an art director from YAR, Yokoyama-san, told me, "More people should know what you usually talk and think". So, when we were looking for a way to expand our business scope instead of just running it internally, we received an offer from Parco Publishing to publish the book. Yokoyama then encouraged me to hold a photo exhibition so that more people could see it.
WWD : Did you personally select the works that will be exhibited in the exhibition?
Miyake : I was in charge of overall supervision, but since it was the work of two photographers, the photo selection was mostly done by Omiyama-san and Kusano-san. The photo book was originally planned to be 148 pages long, but it ended up being 128 pages, so it also contains some exhibiting unpublished photographs that could not be included. Also, these collage works are limited to the exhibition. Since the photobook is a complete work, I wondered if there was a way to present the works in a different way that would give a greater sense of expansiveness, so I came up with this exhibition structure.
WWD : TEPPEI-san, was there anything you paid particular attention to when styling this photobook?
TEPPEI : Although it is called a photo book, we feel it is closer to a "collection of works." Ken is not only the "subject," but we also thought of it as a work that reflects his own lifestyle, and Ken directed even the smallest details. Both photographers also had their own ideas. Within that, I thought about what role fashion would play and created the styling.
So, unlike my usual fashion shoots, I did a fairly conceptual styling. I aimed for styling that goes beyond the image of "idol Miyake Ken" that everyone knows, and shows him as he really is.
In this photobook, the location where he is is also quite important. For example, that photo (the one behind Miyake) was taken spontaneously at under Shibuya Parco, and shows Ken standing in line with a relaxed expression, as if he had just woken up. It has a bit of a fantasy, but it's also a real situation that actually happened.
Miyake : Yes, it was a completely unintentional shot. It just so happened that when I took the photo, there were a lot of people lining up, but because they were all busy with their own things, they didn't notice me at all. It was a rare opportunity to take a photo with most people facing forward. So I thought, "This is my chance," and I just lined up and took the photo.
TEPPEI : There are also some scenes where he lying down in the square, which is impossible in reality. However, Omiyama-san deliberately made a fictional story realistic and captured that worldview. How to express the "gap between fiction and reality" was a very important theme this time.
Miyake : It makes reality a little more fantastic. How to capture the unreal in a realistic way? We all tried various things like this while filming.
WWD : By the way, no one noticed that you were filming this scene (under Shibuya Parco)?
Miyake : No one noticed at all.
TEPPEI : The people around me were concentrating on something completely different (LOL). That's why it's meaningless if the fashion doesn't have a strong presence. This time we’ve had the received collaborations from various brands, and some items were mixed with my own archives to create a collection.
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What are the highlights of the photo exhibition?
WWD : Do you have a favorite shot from this exhibition?
Miyake : That was the hardest one... But I really liked the collages I mentioned earlier. That's why I've placed them in the back space of the exhibition.
TEPPEI : That collage was made by combining photographs of both Omiyama-san and Kusano-san. The monochrome parts are by Kusano, and the color parts are by Omiyama.
Miyake : This exhibition is not only my photo exhibition, but also a photo exhibition by Omiyama-san, Kusano-san, and TEPPEI-kun. With that in mind, We have created a structure that gives it a collaborative feel.
WWD : What was it like working with Omiyama-san and Kusano-san?
Miyake : We both took photos on film, so we had no idea what kind of photos we were taking on location. That was interesting. I was excited to see the final result. The photos of the two of us that were actually printed out were really beautiful.
TEPPEI : It may seem obvious, but it was interesting to see how even though we were in the same space and taking pictures at the same time, the way we framed the photos we took was completely different.
Miyake : The final result turned out exactly as we had originally planned, with Omiyama photographing the “virtual images” and Kusano photographing the “reality.” That’s why I put a lot of thought into the balance of how the photos were arranged in the photo book. I changed the order many times before finally arriving at the current form. In fact, there are enough photo layouts to fill two books. And this book is so thick that it could have published another volume.
That's why the cover of the photo book is designed like double A-side. The front side is Omiyama's work and the back side is Kusano's work. You can start reading from one of them, and both are made with the feeling that they are "covers."
WWD : It seems like there's a lot of goods to choose from this time around. What do you recommend?
Miyake : There is a gachapon machine for acrylic key chains. There are 10 types in total, so I hope you will collect them all. Also, for the first time, I'm also selling photos of the exhibited works.This is the first time my photos have been sold, so I think this is a very rare opportunity.
TEPPEI : It's really special that Miyake's photos are for sale. I think fans definitely don't want to miss.
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Acting as an "idol"
WWD : This photo book has "idol" in the title. It's the same title as last year's album, but what do you think makes an "ideal idol"?
Miyake : As I mentioned at the time of the album release, when I left the group, I also had the option to end my activities as an idol. However, I decided to become an “idol” once again. Before continuing my activities, I wondered, “What exactly is an idol?” and looked it up in the dictionary. The words that came up were “illusion” and “idol.” At that time, I interpreted the words as, “An idol is someone who is nothing and can be anything.” “An idol is someone who can become anything."
"Fantasy" and "idol" are layered images. I think that really symbolizes the existence of idols. That's why I decided that I wanted to be an "idol" rather than an "artist" or "performer". That's the word that felt best to me.
WWD : Is there anything you would like to do in the future?
Miyake : I think there is still room to exploration of the theme of "idols" as a concept. So I want to explore it a bit more. I want to further express the depth and potential that idols have.
WWD : Miyake-san, you really love art. Do you have any desire to become an artist and exhibit your work?
Miyake : I thought this photo exhibition is an "art piece" in a sense. So I thought it would be interesting if I could get involved in this kind of activity. And…of course I'm interested.
WWD : Are you considering taking up your own photographs, painting, or other creative endeavors?
Miyake : I like photography and I also like drawing. However, I haven't really thought about "creating a work with my own hands and presenting it." The photos I take aren't good enough to be released to the public (LOL).
TEPPEI : But I'm sure your photos will be interesting. I'd love to see them.
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PROFILE
KEN MIYAKE/三宅健
Born July 2, 1979 in Kanagawa Prefecture.
He announced that as an artist, he would challenge himself to create a new form of entertainment and to portray a new "idol image."
- Album "THE iDOL," released on June 5, 2024, is an expressive album packed with songs provided by gorgeous artists and the ever-evolving expressiveness of Miyake Ken.
