Interview kemio & Mirei Kuno｜ kemio photo exhibition "Ura Aka" and photo book "Kemio by Kenta"

——Congratulations on the publication of the photo book "kemio by kenta" and the photo exhibition "Ura Aka"! Until now, kemio has presented his thoughts in words through essays, such as "Eternal Runway to Our Coffin" (2019) and "Let's return the soil normally unless we properly protect our Men Tal hygiene" (2022). Please tell me the reason why you focus on "photos" this time.

Kemio: Are you looking forward to seeing your photos? (laughs). That's one of the reasons, but I've always been 'explaining in words'. I thought I had to explain in words so that everyone could understand not only the books I wrote but also my identity and life. But does a photo feel completely different depending on the person who sees the same one? Of course, I think there are some parts that explain it as a way of expression, but as I created it with Mirei-chan, the fun of such expressions that do not explain and new values have increased in me. So, this time, when I expressed kemio from my twenties to 30 years old in photographs, I was very interested in how people who saw it received kemio's presence."

Mirei Kuno (hereinafter referred to as Mirei) "At first, you talked about it before you made a book. Kemio has published two essays so far, and it has been read by many people. After all, everyone knows that they have a high ability to communicate through letters, so this time I will remove the words. When that happens, what can Kemio tell everyone and what can I leave? That’s a new challenge, and it’s fun to see what kind of chemical reaction you can have.”

——I heard that you both met through work. Do you remember the first impressions of each?

Birei: I met about 5 years ago, but I'm back low! I thought (laughs). I thought there was such a person, but it was so popular. kemio-kun, when I first met you, I'm one more than me, and they talk about things from the same point of view. He’s the kind of person I’ve never been before.”

Kemio: Oh! I'm happy. My first impression of Birei is, “I’m looking woman.” I was only interested from the moment I entered the studio. It looks like a gal, and I have an old VHS in my hand. At that time, there was no Y2K culture, so it was fresh. "This guy's camera, my grandmother had a handycam at an elementary school athletic meet."

——Looking at the photo book, the wonderful relationship between the two was very conveyed. Was there a moment when the distance between each other was so close to each other?

kemio "I may have thought from the beginning that I was a 'person who can say anything' to Mirei. If you compare encounters with people to "rooms", when I enter a new room, it's the type that gently enters from my toes. However, Mirei-chan was rather the opposite of such cautious air, and I had an absolute sense of security from the beginning. I could say anything to this person, and I thought I could not tell him what I wanted to do. It may not change much from the beginning.”

Mirei: Certainly, this relationship and sense of distance have not changed since we met. “But I thought the bond became stronger through this filming.”

Kemio: “I’m really happy that Mirei came to the United States! After this filming, I think it became a deeper and stronger relationship.”

——After all, I felt that there were many expressions of kemio that can only be taken because it was Mirei. Again, in this "kemio by kenta", I would like to ask you about what kemio thinks, "I can only take pictures of myself."

kemio “Our creation was an extension of play. That's not the purpose of "I'm going to make something" or "I'm going to publish a photo book." The pieces that we had accumulated together gathered together and began with the flow of "I wish we could make this a photo book" and "Let's take a picture with a plus."

Birei: There are a lot of things that don't appear in the world. I've been taking pictures with kemio-kun all the time, so I've had a lot of pictures with storehouses that missed the release and the announcement. So, instead of assuming that I show it to someone, I've always made it together with the feeling of "I want to shoot because I want to shoot" and "I want to create together". Kemio says, “Let’s try it!” You have a feeling, right?”

Kemio: That's right. Birei is a person who doesn't say "no". The first one is "Yes" and let's try it anyway. When you go to something new, you say, “Is it better to do this? “Is it going well? "I think I'm going to think about the means to succeed in my mind. But she acts first. From such an attitude, I think that you taught me the importance of trying anyway by air, not words. Mirei is the one who provided me with such a safe space.”

——Was there anything that was impressive during the filming?

Birei: There are a lot of things.……。 “Isn’t it rain?”

kemio "One shot at that time, Mirei-chan, said, 'This will be the cover! “Don’t give me Instagram yet,” he said.

"Kemio-kun, I want to upload it right away."

kemio: This photo was taken a little away from New York. The shooting was interrupted due to the fallout in the middle of the shooting. I was feeling down, saying, "What should I do when I came so far?" But when the rain came up and the sun came out, Mirei-chan released the shutter. “I knew it would be this scene after it rained. That's why I was able to take this picture." I was surprised at that time. This man is the protagonist of the comic."

Birei "(laughs)"

kemio: "I'm worried about my roots, and I'm always thinking of 'Is that okay' or 'Is this okay?' At that time, I think I had a feeling of "how to do this situation". But Bisie is the opposite. In a good way, “Tomorrow is coming!” It feels like you are very positive.”

Mirei "Kemio-kun looks like an optimistic type from the outside. So if you think it's the same type, it's completely different. Calculating like Galileo, it's moving. He turns his head very fast.”

kemio "Of course, there are some optimistic parts, but since the photo book was my first challenge, I think there are places where I was more impatient than usual (laughs).

"That's why we can make up for each other's parts and become one energy."

——I think there are many, but do you have a favorite cut in the photo book?

Kemio: Oh! I can't decide! A lot of people are involved in every photo. For example, in this series, I told my followers on SNS, "If you live in a house with this kind of atmosphere, can you lend me it for shooting?" And that's what I recruited and photographed. This series was filmed at a friend's house in New York.……。 There are many encounters in each cut and there are people who have helped me, so it is really hard to narrow down to one.”

Birei: There are so many things I can't choose, but do you like the bike series? Also, one lying on the lawn of the park. The other shootings are quite conceptual, but this cut was shot without any particular theme. "I really liked the natural expression because I faced Kemio-kun and I released the shutter, so I really like the natural expression."

Kemio: That's okay too.

Mirei "Kemio-kun is just a project that I directed for the first time, and all of them have a lot of thoughts. Isn't it a good girl series? It took about 4 a.m..”

Kemio: At that time, everyone had their own fights. Hairstyle fights, makeup fights, shooting fights, and sleepless fights! “I was planning to go back to New York that morning.”

Birei: You didn't give up until the end. I shot it while playing BPM 150 and everyone was cool."

kemio "From the perspective of directing, I learned a lot about the series I took in the office."

Birei: This series has a particularly strong storyline. I was drawing in my head very finely what kind of flow Kemio-kun wanted to take and what kind of cut I wanted to take. From your position, the position of the opponent's model, the mood of the lighting. It was impressive that he brought me a reference for the movie and gave me specific instructions. It was the first time we were filming like this.”

kemio: “This series was inspired by Gregg Araki’s film, and I wanted to create something like this. It was really fun to be able to shape my head.”

——In addition to these directing pages, you can also see photos picked up from your own 350,000 camera rolls. I think the work of picking up from a large amount of photos is close to the feeling of editing one's own life. Looking back on your life from photos, how did you feel?

Kemio: It was a lot of fun. The photo was selected from the camera rolls from 2016 to 2025. When I first came to the United States, I had no friends, so I just took a selfie. But it gets more and more shots, and the number of characters increases. After seeing these changes, I felt once again that life is about getting involved with so many people and building a life.”

——Was there any age that was particularly impressive?

kemio "Is it during the lockdown of Corona? Looking back, “What have you been doing this year? "I was just doing wasteful shopping (laughs). There were pictures of playing the piano, a picture of faking clay, and a selfie crying in one hand of a bottle. I didn’t have anything left at the time, but I said, “Oh, it was hard.”

——Kemio is starting his career with a video of vine. I think that I have been able to "take pictures of myself" for a long time, but this time I am participating as a subject. For kemio, how did you feel the difference between "shooting" and "shooting"?

kemio: That's what I often asked when Mirei was shooting. “Is there a moment when you look at the other person through the lens and see something from the person’s face?” “I have already taken a picture,” or “I want you to take a picture,” he said.

Birei: “I know you.”

Kemio: I know [laughs]! So far, I think I have done a lot of things that I can control myself. Live streaming can also be picked up and talked at your own timing, and even edited videos by yourself before release. Therefore, “I think that you are expressed through people” is an interesting thing that you can’t control with your own hands.”

——Two people from Tokyo. Please tell us your frank feelings about the release of "kemio by kenta" at the exhibition at Shibuya PARCO, which has lived in this city for many years, and at PARCO Publishing.

Birei: After all, Shibuya is a city that makes you want to walk around.

Kemio: Really yes. That is the city where BPM wants to walk while listening to high-quality music. I am frankly happy to be able to exhibit at PARCO in such a place and am full of gratitude. I am really happy to have the opportunity to see what I have accumulated with Mirei-chan, and to have been involved with many people. Also, this time, "making a photo book" is challenging for me, and I think there are many parts that have grown again here. Thank you very much for giving this gift.”

Mirei: I feel exactly the same with Kemio. It was so fast, so I haven't felt much yet, and I feel like I'm in a dream. I've been creating together with kemio all the time, so I'm really grateful that I was able to present a place that will remain in shape as a work. I am very happy and grateful that many people can see what we have created. I have given you a valuable experience.”

——Finally, how do you want this exhibition and one book to reach you in the future and those who read it?

Mirei "In this photo book, I think I was able to challenge various expressions. I've been focusing on "film" so far, but this time I shot digitally and tried to adopt a new method. Honestly, there was a place where I thought, "I'm not like myself" or "I'm not suitable", but when I tried it, I was surprised. I realized that I had created a fixed idea within myself. This time, through this photo book, I was able to learn about my new aspects, so I once again felt the importance of "challenging everything" and "trying it for the time being". The younger generation of children today are really dexterous and there are many children who can express themselves well, but I still want you to take care of the feeling of “trying to challenge yourself first.”

kemio “For me, this book and exhibition are a celebration. First of all, I want to see and enjoy it. I think you can feel it when you look at the photo book, but I think that in your 20s is a cosplay. I don't know myself yet, what to wear, what kind of hairstyle, where to go to play, what kind of person to play with. I think it's time to extend my antenna to various things and try various things, such as "this may be" or "that may be", and my interests move here and there. But as you continue to walk on that path, you will see what you really like, what you want to learn, what you want to do, and your values. In my 20s, I think this is the best gift to know yourself. Eventually, the environment creates itself. When I came to the United States, there was a piece I wanted in my life, so I went there for the time being. From there, people and places meet me, and I am now there. So, if there is something I really envisioned, I think we will get there naturally. By making a photo book this time, I was able to realize the support of the people around me and the value of the environment. But that’s what you open up for yourself. As I said, “I think it’s important to start first.”

PRESENT


Kemio's autographed T-shirt will be presented to 2 people by lot

From October 30 (Thursday) to November 13 (Thursday), 2025, a gift campaign will be held at Shibuya PARCO Official SNS.

<How to apply>
①Follow the official account of Shibuya PARCO TikTok (@parco_shibuya_official)
②"Like" on the post for the T-shirt gift signed by kemio uploaded on October 30.
③"Like!" Please comment in the comments section of the post you received.
We will contact you by DM, so please follow up on your SNS account (Shibuya PARCO Official TikTok) and set up DM reception.

Announcement of Winning
After strict selection, only the winners will be contacted by direct message around early December 2025, and the prizes will be sent to the winners. In addition, prizes are scheduled to be shipped around mid-December 2025. Please note that it may vary slightly depending on the circumstances.

Information

Exhibition
kemio photo exhibition "Uraaka"

Venue
PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO (Shibuya PARCO 4F)

Period of the event
October 3 (Fri) to October 20 (Mon), 2025

Organizer
PARCO Co., Ltd.

Planning and production
PARCO Co., Ltd.

Cooperation
UNICORN Inc. / DNP Photo Imaging Japan Inc.

Photo book "Kemio by Kenta" Details
https://publishing.parco.jp/books/detail/?id=523

Official website
https://art.parco.jp/museumtokyo/detail/?id=1793

Official SNS
Instagram（@parco_art）X（@parco_art）
Instagram（@parco_pub）X（@parco_pub）