PERFECT DAYS
JUNE/JULY 2024 TOKYO - NAOSHIMA - KYOTO
I have been experimenting with polaroids for a while. It started last fall, with the desire to create a polaroid for launch of Louise at Peder Lund. The first series was shot in Capri, June 2023, as a dialogue with my long time collaborator Jan Grabowski. I had no idea what I was doing and it was thrilling exactly because of that. The project reminded me of when I started Spustova, back in 2014. It was the feeling of starting something completely new. The first Polaroid I took turned out completely white: By mistake, I had used flash on the direct sun. We both loved the outcome – the idea of white polaroids – and since then we have experimented with different techniques, and manipulated the outcome in order to become white. I created a winter series in Switzerland, and have made several different images for custom-made jewellery projects.
Since the very beginning of Spustova, I have been photographing digitally and made videos of my jewellery. What I love about the polaroid is its limitation. There are only a few images available, I need to think through what I want to photograph. Of course you can buy unlimited polaroid films, but for me it is the self-imposed ritual of restriction that creates the magic.
This summer, I traveled to Japan with my son Johann. I have been so excited to return: We conceived our daughter Sakura in Tokyo during the summer of 2019, so it means something very special to. This time, I travelled with my middle child, who is 10 and half years old, and a very creative soul. He has been closely involved with my brand, and we love to work together, share ideas and explore. The main reason for the trip was to meet with Vogue Japan, and visit various retailers. It is a dream come true to expand into the Japanese market. Another plan for the trip was to shoot my third Polaroid series together with Johann in three different locations - Tokyo, Naoshima and Kyoto. He had never worked with Polaroid before, so I could sense his excitement trying a new technique. Here is our selection called “Perfect Days” inspired by the Wim Wenders 2023 movie that we both love so so much. Our trip was truly perfect, and it is my most precious creative dialogue so far! Japan with Johann, perfect days.
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN JOHANN SPUSTA & ZUZANA SPUSTOVA
(ZS)
What did you love the most about Japan?
(JS)
The food. I liked the sashimi – especially the tuna – because it was fresh and local. I also liked the salads. Don’t know why exactly, they were all just so good. Maybe because of the dressings. I was also stunned by the taste of tempura, as it was quite different from the tempura you get in Norway. Here, it’s always a shrimp. In Japan they do fish, salad and vegetables too. We went to a great tempura restaurant in Tokyo that I enjoyed a lot.
Did you enjoy taking Polaroids? What did you like about it?
I liked it, and I didn’t. I dislike the fact that you have limited amount of pictures, and cannot take a picture a hundred times over to get the right result. Which is something I like about a phone, so I think I prefer taking pictures with my phone.
Which one is your favourite Polaroid, and why?
The one with a pumpkin – the Kusama pumpkin. But I liked the sunset behind it the most.
What do you want to do when you grow up?
I want to be a fashion designer because my mom always wears the nice brands and I know a lot about them. If that doesn’t work out, I’d like to help my mom. If that doesn’t work out I’d want to design cars. I love cars and you don’t see as many good cars in Norway as in Japan. In Japan, I took a picture with my mom in front of every good looking car I saw.
Where do you want to travel next?
Singapore. My teacher at the French School is from Singapore, and she has told me a lot about it. I didn’t know much about Singapore before, but after learning more about it I just want to go.
Welcome to Singapore.
Welcome to Singapore.
Welcome to Singapore.
(x100)
