Akira Gomi Americans: A Photographic Exploration of Female Diversity

Akira Gomi (五味彬, born 1953) is a Japanese photographer who is known for his work that focuses on beauty across racial lines. His work is in the style of Laurie Toby Edison, who is famous for her body-positive photography. One of his most popular works is Akira Gomi Americans, a series of photos that capture the essence of American women in Los Angeles in 1993.

Who is Akira Gomi?

Akira Gomi was born in Tokyo in 1953. He graduated from Nihon University, Department of Photography in 1977. He studied with Laurence Sackman and Michel Benton in New York and then returned to Japan in 1983. He established a company called Digitalogue in 1993, which produces multimedia photography works. He has also worked as a lecturer at Tokyo Polytechnic University and Tokyo Zokei University.

Gomi’s photography style is influenced by his interest in anthropology, sociology, and psychology. He aims to explore the diversity and complexity of human beings through his lens. He has traveled to various countries and regions, such as China, India, Thailand, Brazil, and Hawaii, to photograph women of different ethnicities and cultures. He has also photographed men, children, animals, and landscapes.

What is Akira Gomi Americans?

Akira Gomi Americans is a series of photos that Gomi took in Los Angeles in 1993. He photographed 100 women of different races, ages, and backgrounds, who agreed to pose nude or semi-nude for him. He asked them to fill out a questionnaire that included questions about their personal lives, opinions, and preferences. He also measured their height, weight, bust size, waist size, hip size, foot size, and hand size.

The photos are divided into four categories: White Americans (25 women), Black Americans (25 women), Asian Americans (25 women), and Hispanic Americans (25 women). Each category has five subcategories: Blondes (5 women), Brunettes (5 women), Redheads (5 women), Mixed Hair Colors (5 women), and Dyed Hair Colors (5 women). The photos show the women’s faces, bodies, hands, feet, breasts, buttocks

What is the Purpose of Akira Gomi Americans?

Akira Gomi Americans is a work that aims to showcase the beauty and diversity of American women. Gomi wanted to challenge the stereotypes and prejudices that exist in society about women of different races and cultures. He wanted to celebrate the individuality and uniqueness of each woman, regardless of their skin color, hair color, body shape, or age. He wanted to create a dialogue and a connection between the viewer and the subject.

Gomi also wanted to explore the concept of identity and belonging in a multicultural society. He wanted to examine how American women define themselves and their roles in relation to their ethnic backgrounds, personal histories, and social contexts. He wanted to reveal the similarities and differences among women who share the same nationality but have different origins and experiences.

What are the Reactions and Responses to Akira Gomi Americans?

Akira Gomi Americans has received various reactions and responses from critics and audiences. Some have praised the work for its artistic merit, its social relevance, and its positive message. They have appreciated the honesty, intimacy, and diversity of the photos. They have found the work to be informative, inspiring, and empowering.

Others have criticized the work for its ethical issues, its cultural appropriation, and its negative implications. They have questioned the consent, privacy, and dignity of the women who participated in the project. They have accused Gomi of exploiting, objectifying, and stereotyping the women. They have argued that the work reinforces the exoticization, fetishization, and commodification of women of color.

Gomi has defended his work by stating that he respects and admires the women who posed for him. He has claimed that he did not coerce or manipulate them into doing anything they did not want to do. He has asserted that he did not intend to offend or harm anyone with his work. He has explained that he wanted to create a work that reflects his personal vision and curiosity.

How to Access Akira Gomi Americans?

Akira Gomi Americans was originally published as a CD-ROM in 1994. It contains 100 photos of women, as well as their questionnaires and measurements. It also has an interactive interface that allows the user to browse, zoom, rotate, and compare the photos. The CD-ROM is compatible with Windows and Macintosh computers.

However, the CD-ROM is no longer available for purchase or download from the official website or any other platform. It is also very rare and hard to find in physical stores or online marketplaces. The only way to access Akira Gomi Americans is to borrow or buy a copy from someone who owns it, or to use a website like Internet Archive, which has a digital copy of the CD-ROM that can be viewed online.

What are the Similar Works to Akira Gomi Americans?

Akira Gomi Americans is not the only work that features photos of women of different races and cultures. There are other similar works that have been created by other photographers or artists. Here are some of them:

Women by Annie Leibovitz (1999), a book that contains portraits of famous and ordinary women from various backgrounds and professions.
The Atlas of Beauty by Mihaela Noroc (2017), a book that contains photos of women from 50 countries around the world, celebrating their diversity and beauty.
Women of Vision by National Geographic (2013), a book that contains photos of women taken by female photographers who work for National Geographic.
The Nu Project by Matt Blum (2005-present), an ongoing project that features nude photos of women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, taken in their own homes.
Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton (2010-present), an ongoing project that features photos and stories of people from New York City and other places around the world.

Akira Gomi Americans is a work that showcases the beauty and diversity of American women. It is a work that challenges the stereotypes and prejudices that exist in society about women of different races and cultures. It is a work that celebrates the individuality and uniqueness of each woman, regardless of their skin color, hair color, body shape, or age. It is a work that creates a dialogue and a connection between the viewer and the subject.

Conclusion

Akira Gomi Americans is a work that combines art and anthropology, photography and sociology, beauty and diversity. It is a work that takes the viewer on a photographic journey through the lives and bodies of 100 American women in Los Angeles in 1993. It is a work that reveals the similarities and differences among women who share the same nationality but have different origins and experiences. It is a work that aims to challenge the stereotypes and prejudices that exist in society about women of different races and cultures. It is a work that celebrates the individuality and uniqueness of each woman, regardless of their skin color, hair color, body shape, or age. It is a work that creates a dialogue and a connection between the viewer and the subject.

If you want to access Akira Gomi Americans, you can use one of the methods mentioned above, such as using a website like Internet Archive, which has a digital copy of the CD-ROM that can be viewed online. However, you should be aware that the CD-ROM is no longer available for purchase or download from the official website or any other platform. It is also very rare and hard to find in physical stores or online marketplaces. The only way to access Akira Gomi Americans is to borrow or buy a copy from someone who owns it.

Akira Gomi Americans is a work that is worth seeing for anyone who is interested in photography, women, or diversity. It is a work that will appeal to both art lovers and social scientists. It is a work that will inspire you and make you think. It is a work that will leave you with a lasting impression.

86646a7979

Без категории 12.07.2023 7Views 0Likes 0Comments

Akira Gomi Americans