Dennis Hollingsworth

The Opening

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Shortly before the opening, I talked to Mutsuko Ota editor for Esquire Magazine Japan (and all around renaissance man) in an interview that lasted quite a while and was completely delightful. The tough question: "What is painting?". I could recount the answer here... it might take a while... but I can describe quickly how I ended my answer: with a reference to the Zen koan (case #14) that answers with my boot pulled off my foot and placed on my head.

Then there's that other zen master, the alternative answer.

Longtime Tokyo expat (so long an expat that he's as Japanese as such an expat can possibly be) Johnnie Walker blessed the openign by showing up with his magnificent Russian Wolfhound. He told me the story of how his neighbors called the police when he first walked his dog, reporting that someone has a bear on a leash in the 'hood. His dog had a jones for beer, and Johnnie was able to channel the beast's energy with commands in an ancient country Japanese dialect. The Wolfhound lapped it up slowly, pausing to savor the flavor.

Oh yea, and Johnnie Walker's relation to the artworld? He is running an artist residency program based in Tokyo. I asked: "Something like the Glassel School in Houston?" Yea, that's right, was his response.

This was the first opportunity I've had to step back and shoot this frontal shot of "Colossus".

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