Obon / Hanabi

Mid-August, it's time for the short Obon holiday celebrating the spirit of one's ancestors. It is my favourite time of year in Japan, really hot, cicadas singing a tue-tête. This is the season for fireworks, Hanabi, usually grandiose events involving hundreds of thousands of spectators. But hanabi is also popular in backyards, small-scale celebrations of summertime, away from the crowd.

Booktown

This was my chapter for Cheryl Penn's collaborative book 'Mail Art Makes The World A Town', edition... I don't know, I lost count. 10? 11? 12? Something like that.

The Guestbook

The theme for this boekie was the tree. Every guest was given one page with the drawing of a tree and some space to write a short message. Fingerprints were taken so that everyone was legally filed. No, just kidding, fingerprints represented the leafs.

Polaroids are a very spontaneous and informal kind of media, people seem to be more relaxed than in front of a "real" camera, just being themselves. It also allows for some unique moments to be captured that can't be erased from a hard disk. Like that guy running behind Nastia's mum :-))

Thinking of my auntie who was very ill and couldn't be with us. She passed away a few days ago, so this is for her.

Cake Pops

After the Blow Pops, the Cake Pops. A collaborative effort...

The Wedding

Custom-made Kewpie dolls - Shinto wedding

from left to right: Irina, Alexei, Nastia, Luc, Roland, Christiane

Astéroïde [Leur grand jour]

Astéroïde à conquérir, à construire
Nacré de briques empilées, de Nectar cimentées
Accroche-coeur, Accroche-moi, Accroche donc du
Satin pour nos Soirées, luminaires
Tamisés sous la nébuleuse lactée
Amuses-bouche d'Argile au parfum de soie,
Serpentins de chemins Semés entre des
Îlots sucrés, tantôt salés
Alliage de rouille dur comme diamant
Eau douce à tes pieds, miel à tes
Tablées de rosée sillonnées
Lin, Laine, et toujours Légers
Ukulélé à l'Unisson sifflotant, une
Comète venant sabrer des bulles à tous vents.



Poème à initiales pour Luc et Nastia

Gion - One afternoon, One morning (4)

The entire series can be viewed at Scribd.

The Flood

Utagawa Hiroshige - The City Flourishing, Tanabata Festival