About this project

Over the last 3 years I have been working on my project called “Blender”. I am planning to publish photography book since this project is almost accomplished.

Nowhere is there such an intersection of cultures as in New York City. As an immigrant who has lived in New York for over 10 years, traveling among the five boroughs using public transportation is still fascinating. Sometimes, I just take a bus and start looking at the changing scenery, not knowing where the bus is going to take me. I started to discover immigrant-heavy areas this way.

Being in this city can feel like visiting another country. People celebrate the customs and holidays of their country by wearing folk costumes on the street. Many of them advertise goods catering to specific nationalities and cultures, especially foods that were brought here or requested by immigrants living in immigrant heavy areas. The packaging of these products is a form of art that tells stories and helps remind people that their culture is alive. In this way, immigrants in New York City can prevent the fading of identification with their native culture.

Blender is my ongoing project in which I investigate the diverse immigrant cultures in New York City. The project includes photos of the packaging of food products from various neighborhoods in New York with a large immigrant influence accompanied by texts (short stories as well as notes on the history, culture, and trivia relating to immigrant-heavy areas), performance and a website(http://www.flickr.com/photos/hidemitakagi/). The look of these food packages often has an old-fashioned feel: bright, saturated colors and occasionally outmoded designs that are rare in both Japan, where I’m from, and America, where I now live. Through this project I hope to show that art can transcend time and language even through the simplest imagery found on a candy wrapper. Blender is a lens into New York's immigrant communities and cultures.

My books will contain photos and presenting short texts. (Sample text: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hidemitakagi/2144433890/)
Showing those bold colored photographs, I am intending to spark to curiosity of the viewer. What is it? Where is it from? Through my research and the resulting text that accompanies each image, providing the answers.
To publish, I am raising $820.18 to cover the costs of printing a high-quality softcover book from Blurb (www.blurb.com). This will cover a run of 50 books ($795.50) and shipping costs ($22.68) to my place, Brooklyn, New York.

Any amount is very much appreciated, and I thank you very much for considering supporting this project.

About Slide Show:
Photographs of food packages and some images from an interactive show @ DUMBO Art festival 2009 using “Blender Cart” which I gave out samples of various international food and culturally connected products with Information notes about immigrants and communities to the public to take home and to learn about that culture through these food imports.



PS. In 2010, I will be slated for a studio on Governors Island for LMCC Swing Space Studio residency five-month session on the Island, March through July. I will bring this “Blender” project with me. June 4-6, which will be the first Public Access weekend, during which we will open the studios to the public, please come to see my installation work of “Blender”, along with other project.

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More Info about my project and me:
http://art-bridge.org/blog/2009/09/artist-in-profile-hidemi-takagi/
http://www.nyfa.org/nyfa_current_detail.asp...
http://nymphoto.blogspot.com/2008/08/conversation-with-hidemi-takagi.html