JAPAN COLLECTION | Bruce Gilden

JAPAN NFT COLLECTION:

#1, 1996 - SOLD

The trains in Tokyo are sometimes very crowded. When I took this picture, the woman reminded me of a Mona Lisa type of character. I also love the hand on the glass! To me, this is a very beautiful picture!

#2, 1998

It looks like he’s reaching for a gun but I think he’s just taking out a pack of cigarettes. Thank goodness!

#3, 1996 - Reserved

This is an area called Asakusa, Tokyo - an alley where lots of interesting characters gather. These guys look like blue collar types and, in particular, the guy with the hat looks like he may be a small-time gambler.

#4, 1996

I came upon this street scene and I believe it was part of a wedding reception. The guy facing us looks like he’s the head of the family.

#5, 1996

To me, even though they aren’t actually dancing, this almost looks like a dance. And, I like it!

#6, 1998 - Reserved

This was shot at a picnic, with some yakuza and some regular folks in attendance. I like the fact that the little girl, instead of capturing a butterfly, is capturing a human being in her net!

#7, 1996

I find this to be a very interesting candid portrait. He wasn’t posing!

#8, 1996

There are a number of people in this photo but, whenever I look at it, I’m drawn to the woman in the center.

#9, 1999 - Reserved

This was taken in an area called San’ya. I wanted to take this guy’s picture but I had to get permission from the mama san, the lady who ran the outdoor bar. She gave me permission and I bought the man a beer. I spent about 20 minutes taking this picture until mama san said “that’s enough.”

#10, 1999*

This is a candid portrait of a transvestite in Shinjuku. It is one of my favorite pictures.

#11, 2000 - Reserved

This was taken in Asakusa. This lady reminds me of an Asian version of my mother - there is a sadness in this picture.

#12, 1996*

This character is probably a businessman. But, when someone reaches in their pocket and I’m only two feet away, you never know what they may pull out! This is one of my favorite pictures.

#13, 1999

This was shot at a low end flea market in San’ya. I think the gun may have been fake!

#14, 2000

This picture was taken in Osaka, in an area called Kamagasaki. To me, their faces look like two balloons!

#15, 1996*

I love the light on the two people’s faces! It is a beautiful glowing light and makes this a special picture.

#16, 1996

These are drunken students, at night, in Tokyo. Good times!

#17, 1999

I saw the guy laying on the ground and, right away, I knew I wanted to get an image of him with people walking past. The only way to do this was to stand up when the people were walking by and go down to the ground as they were passing. Otherwise, they would’ve walked around me and I wouldn’t have been able to take this picture. So, I was like a jack in the box, bouncing up and down, for 20 minutes. Very tiring but well worth it!

#18, 1998*

Before I took this picture, I was winding my camera and realized I was up to frame 41. Ooops! I discovered that I just shot a whole roll without any film in the camera. You can imagine how frustrated this made me! But, I gathered myself and was able to take this picture.

#19, 1998 - Reserved

This was shot at the Matsuri Festival in Asakusa. I’d say the guys are yakuza. The women were singing and I very much enjoyed their voices, almost like birds.

#20, 1996

This was taken in San’ya. I had just given the lady, who was a little bit crazy, a bottle of liquor because my wife, daughter, and myself were leaving Tokyo. I think she may have been angry rather than thankful!

#21, 1999

This was taken at a right wing temple called the Yasukuni Shrine, on a special day.

#22, 1999

This was taken at a right wing temple called the Yasukuni Shrine, on a special day.

#23, 1996

This is a candid portrait taken in the streets of Japan.

#24, 1999 - Reserved

This guy is part of the bōsōzoku, a youth subculture associated with custom motorcycles. I felt that, even as teenagers, the bōsōzoku are full formed - you can sense the type of person each will be as an adult.

#25, 2000

This guy is an older yakuza. I find this to be an interesting portrait.