Christmas sparkle

It's the time of year for making Christmas cards and this year I wanted to use sparkly Christmas photos.  I did not have enough photos from Tokyo - not Christmassy ones - so I went to Liberty of London and some shops on Upper Street.

  They turned out ok I think.

Tokyo is a crazyfun bladerunner city

There are so many amazing sights to photograph in Tokyo - just thought I would share a few.

 LED sceens animate the facade of Bic Camera in Yurakucho.

The crystal forms on Herzog and de Meuron's Prada building juxtaposed with tranformers and cables.

 Marounouchi construction site - heavy steel structure and massive cranes.

 Crazy machine-like elevation in Shibuya with fantasy Disney store.

 Blade-runner TV screens at Roppongi crossing.

 Iconic metabolic landmark overshadwoed by bubble-era towers in Shimbashi.

 Shinjuku towers viewed from Takashimaya Times Square restaurants.

 Trains whizzing at high-level through offices and hotels in Shimbashi.

 Nigel Coates 80's landmark almost forgotten in Nishi Azabu.

 Ando's futuristic Amani Casa store in Cat Street.

 Side street in Shibuya with fashion photo shoot.

 Moulded concrrete picture frame window facade between Shibuya and Omotesando.

 Vast empty boat space of Vinoli's International Forum.

 Adam and Eve Korean sauna near the Chinese Embassy in Roppongi (ref Tyler Brule)

Famous Shubuya crossing.

 Roof top ramps for skootering and cycling at the Children's Castle.

 Big signs at Tsukiji.

 Odaiba big wheel amid reclaimed land glitzy development.

 Quirky appartment building with diving board on my walking tour to Ometesando.

 Odaiba Tange TV building behind seaside shopping mall.

Multi-level city experience with vertignous escalators.

Japaneseness

Two recent conversations - about what is that so appeals about Japanese houses to Western Eyes - and that real homes in Japan are full of clutter and junk. 

Konishi Gaffney architects in Edinburgh found that the press and visitors loved their home in Portobello for being 'Japanese'.  http://www.konishigaffney.com/portobello.html

Inge Daniels, anthropologist, has explored the reality of Japanese homes and exhibited her findings at the Geffrye Museum.  In Japan, small homes are crammed with unwanted gifts, superceeded domestic appliances and clutter. http://www.ingedaniels.com/exhibitions.html

It recalled previous discussions at the 'Hafu' exhibition in London's Brick Lane looking at Natalie Mayer Willer's photos of half Japanese people.  http://www.hafujapanese.org/

I ask myself what is it that defines 'japaneseness', what fascinates me about Japan and how will being half Japanese affect my children's lives.

inspired in London

I knew I had to go and see the Stirling Exhibition at Tate Britain - after all I had been helping Alan Berman with his Stirling book projects. However on my way through the Duveen galleries, I side-stepped into The Coral Reef by Mike Nelson.

I thought I had gone into the service corridor by mistake and turned back - but the guard on the door said 'yes - go in - it's like a maze inside'. I pushed open the door past an old red vinyl settee into what looked like an abandoned minicab office waiting room and then on into a series of dim, oddly empty, formerly inhabited but dishevelled rooms. It was strangely enthralling, almost frightening and the experience haunted me while I was looking at the Stirling drawings and I had to go back.

This time, I went round and round through all the doors and back again. I keep thinking about it. Can't quite work out why it is so powerful - but wish I could go to the Biennale to see the installation there.