TI loved this feature on male kabuki legend Bando Tamasburo-and Shinoyama's photography is incredible.
This is from the Paradis summer 08 issue-I was so, so, so excited to get my hands on a copy last time I was in New York. It's my favorite magazine.
"For 38 years, Kishin Shinoyama has been taking photographs of Bando Tamasburo, a living ledgend of kabuki theatre. In 1970, the author and nationalist ritual suicide, Yukio Mishima, said of this 'onnagata'-a male actor who specialises in female roles, but doesn't play them exclusively: "The onnagata is the flower of Kabuki, and although the great elders are essential in this field, if there were no young actors, none of these flowers in bud, kabuki would not survive. Nowadays, even though we would like to cultivate such flowers, there is no soil for this purpose and we can only impaitiently wait for a miracle. Now our paitience has been rewarded. Tamasaburo is a young onnagata whose elegance and delicacy call to mind the working of ivory. He is the living proof of the vitality of kabuki." Kishin Shinoyama, himself a master of the photographic medium, spoke to Paradis about his singular rapport with Bando Tamasburo."
Click below to see more scans of the pictures and to read the interview with Kishin Shinoyama discussing Tamasburo.
Wow. This is really beautiful.
And the photographs are stunning, as well - they look almost like paintings... such thick, saturated colours.
Posted by: Benji | July 12, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Oh my goodness! What beautiful pictures!
They're just so stunning and really capture the essense of Kabuki!
Posted by: Lindsay | July 12, 2009 at 12:17 AM
Great photos, I'll be sure to check out the interviews!
I love your blog and I'd be honoured to interview you for my
my Blog Love Thursday feature, check it out to see what I do!
If you're interested please let me know
wutwuzithinking@gmail.com :)
Posted by: Christine | July 12, 2009 at 12:18 AM
costume-wise, my favourite of the kabuki roles is always the demon-like warriors with the fierce makeup and big hair.
Posted by: quelle | July 12, 2009 at 02:20 AM
It's interesting how they labelled him as young even though he is already 59 and has been around this industry for half a century! But he is my favourite kabuki actor, Sagimusume (the last picture) is my favourite performance of him. Thanks for publishing the interview for us!!!
Posted by: Genevieve | July 12, 2009 at 04:17 AM
Stunning! The costumes are amazing as well. Thanks for posting this!
Posted by: Rebecca | July 12, 2009 at 10:04 AM
stunning costumes! i love this kind of stuff.
Posted by: Prêt-à-Porter P | July 12, 2009 at 11:55 AM
I have followed Tamasaburo for years & have photos in my office of him, beautiful!
Posted by: Maria | July 12, 2009 at 07:50 PM
Amazing pics! I love this kind of costumes. Thanks for your Tokyo chronicles.
Kisses from Kill the Heel! xxx
Posted by: Tina | July 13, 2009 at 04:17 AM
lurve the peacock one. it really jumps out don't you think?
Posted by: kimm | July 13, 2009 at 05:43 AM
These pics are really beautiful!
Posted by: Isabel | July 13, 2009 at 02:03 PM
Hahah I recently did a post about him too! Did you see Bando's new photo book of costumes, or any of his performances on video? Here are some on my site... http://www.lacarmina.com/blog/2009/06/bardo-tamasaburo-kabuki-onnagata-female-impersonator-japanese-theater-kabuki-makeup-and-costumes/
xoxo
Posted by: La Carmina | July 14, 2009 at 02:27 AM
Jane you hit on a soft spot, with Bandō Tamasaburō pics, and a Yukio Mishima quote.
Posted by: lily | July 16, 2009 at 04:13 AM
I saw him this March and he was FUCKING AMAZING, so breathtaking to see.
Go see a show if you get a chance.
Posted by: Priscilla | July 16, 2009 at 01:04 PM
Hey. You have such an amazing blog, and I think you're a really lucky girl :)
I got a question.. don't you have any friends or social life at all?:S you seem to be always only with your mum and family :O
xx
Posted by: Kristiana | July 18, 2009 at 04:30 PM
Thought you might be interested, Terasa Fadem now has a website: http://terasadesigns.com
Posted by: Amy | July 27, 2009 at 11:26 PM
I am going to Japan and it looks really interesting certainly the Kabuki theater..
if you got some hints to go to..tell me!
greetz,
Laura
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