With Nagakrua Nami

Hello Nagakura Nami! I'm so excited to talk with you today. Thank you so much for making time for this interview.

Of course!! I'm also excited to share with you

What have you been up to this morning?

I woke up and helped my son prepare for school, cooking and eating. Afterwards I have come home to feed my baby daughter and check my enzyme bath condition. And now...Hahaha... I'm making raspberry jam.

That sounds like such a beautiful morning with family. I have never had an enzyme bath, but they look absolutely divine! Is this something you do daily?

Enzyme baths are one of my favourite things. I do not do it every day, but quite often, I take an enzyme bath. I love Fermentation work, microorganisms, and bacteria.

I love that, I will have to add it to my list of things I need to do in life!

And where is home for you right now?

I'm living in Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture, Japan.

Visiting Japan has always been a big dream of mine. For those of us who haven't been to Yamanashi before, what are some things we must do when we visit?

Japan is a very interesting and powerful place. We have Mt.Fuji. So I recommended to go see the sea forest in Mt.Fuji

I can take you around to see. I have a very strong connection with Mt.Fuji.

I would love that so much. It looks like such an incredible place!

Yes!! Very powerful

So...tell us a bit about you and your practice?

 My name is Nagakura Nami. I have a son and a daughter. I never married, but I have many family members in all of the universe. We take care of the kids together. Our family structure is very free, and we are deeply connected. 

I practice my expressions in many forms, such as photography, printmaking, drawing, dancing, music, lighting, antique furniture restoration, farming and fermentation work. In particular, in photos and videos, I like to share the feeling of connection between other dimensions.

Your photographs documenting your pregnancy and motherhood are just so beautiful. How has becoming a mother shaped your art and your practice?

Thank you so much ❤️🙏🏻☯️  It's a big change. Every aspect of my art became beyond my expectations. I feel more connected to the universe, earth and my soul than before, so when I create my work, I get so much support from nature and the universe. The photography shows everything.

As a Japanese person who is a single mom, people judge me, but I love my life, and I have chosen to live my life in this way. I want to share my real practice with people who care about the next generation and how beautiful it is to be a mom in any way. We don't have to follow one direction to be a family.

As you say, your family structure is not so stereotypical. How important has finding your people been, and how has it influenced your art?

Yes, our family structure is not stereotypical in Japan. I feel that how we were educated through drama, movies, books and animation (lots of media) shaped our ideal of love. Therefore, most people think the family should be one father, one mother and kids. That's the perfect structure for society. However, I lived in NY for ten years, and I saw many kinds of family structures. I was inspired a lot by the NYC life, and I felt I could make my own style of life. This attitude influences my art, which makes me feel freer than before. I took photographs with my family members (they are my friends too) who became papas to our kids. I want to have similar looks to them and I want everyone to be naked. Because we simply trust and respect each other, and I don't want to have any boundaries between us. Our brain always creates boundaries to categorise and separate things. I believe our family structure cannot label and separate from society. Our consciousnesses are the same state of mind. So, as an artist, it's hard for me to categorise myself, what kind of artist I am.

I also believe in things we cannot explain with words and things we cannot see and touch. These things are very powerful and necessary for all creatures. So, I love to collaborate with this energy when we take photos.

When viewing your work, I noted how the feminine and masculine energies complement each other. How do gender and identity shape your process?

Physically, it is easy to recognise gender, but energy and being are hard to categorise. I feel we all have feminine energy and masculine energy in ourselves. Some of my parts have more feminine energy, but other parts have more masculine energy, this energy changes every moment. So, when I do my work, I focus on "now" or "present "energy. For example, I love to work when I am pregnant. I have lots of creative energy. My body changed shape to hold new life, giving me a special, curvy, well-rounded body. It's beautiful and feminine energy, but after I shaved my hair, it showed masculine energy. The pictures were taken on the same day, but it's a totally different energy. 

To answer your question, I feel comfortable not categorising gender and respecting who we are. I'm enjoying and expressing myself now, wherever I am, with love, gratitude, and harmony.

You mentioned your strong connection to Mt Fuji. Did you grow up there? How has it influenced your photography? What is the arts and photography scene like there?

Yes!! I grew up close to Mt.Fuji. I look at Fuji every day and talk to Fuji when I feel something, so I am always connected to Mt.Fuji. When I was 19 years old, I studied in the US and stayed there for almost ten years. Somehow, when I was in the US, I felt more respect and appreciation for Fuji. After I came back to Japan, I felt the connection between Mt.Fuji and me even stronger than ever. So since then, I wanted to show my respect and gratitude to Fuji because Fuji has always supported me and given me so much goooooood energy. Then, I started to take photos and videos with Mt. Fuji.

This circulation, which gives and supports good energy flow, keeps continuing. When we give good energy to each other, this circle becomes bigger and bigger and never stops. This lesson has influenced my work a lot. 

The arts and photography scene here does not get much attention. Many people come to take Fuji pictures, but the number of people who participate in the arts and photography scene is small. I hope all generations will enjoy more of the arts scene here.

What else inspires you in life in general?

Water, words and kids.

Water is a miracle thing. In my work I use water to do lighting and I project the water movement. When people see the frequency of water flow, they feel comfortable. If I used tired and chemical water, people would feel uncomfortable. 70% of our bodies are water, this water synchronises with the water I project. I had many experiments, and water never lied. I am using this water lighting projecting performance to share how important it is to maintain good water and nature. Not by talking but by feeling, people have better understanding.

What kind of words I use in my life can change everything because when I speak, the water in my body vibrates with the words, so even if I talk to other people, I'm talking to others and myself. What kind of words I use is very important, so when I share this project, I really do care about water and words.

And, of course, kids inspired me a lot. They are so pure and have just come to the earth, but they definitely know more than me. So when I have some issues or problems or am stuck, I will ask them, and their answer is inspiring, surprising, and on point. I am so appreciative of my kids who show me new perspectives of the world—connecting to new people and energy and opening my eyes wider and bigger. Trusting each other is one of the big things.

Photo left Yao Yuan, photo right Monika Mogi

Tell us about some meaningful milestones. What have been your most valued projects to date?

When I started to restore antique furniture in NYC. I really learnt about the history of furniture, how to communicate with old souls and how important it is to restore old stuff and give it to the next generation. It makes me feel so warm and good. 

Another big milestone is childbirth. My first birth changed my life a lot. It changed my lifestyle, how the world looks, my opinions of society and my values. I'm so proud of myself and my kids. I now express more of my feelings from my core inside. I am learning from them in every moment, and in every moment, I evolve and improve to create a better and better life. 

The most valued project is a published book called "12321" with Yao Yuan.

It's a life work project. We started taking photos everywhere we met in 2017 until now. The first issue covers 2017 to 2019, and it's 304 pages of photo books. This book connects us all over the world with many people. Everyone is different, and how we accept differences means prosperity for each of us. To be surrounded by bright light and connected deeper to the source of life.

What's next for Nagakura Nami in work and life…

For me next is to share more of what I have, and receive more of what others offer. Also, in order to move forward, it's really important to be concerned and face the present so I can focus on the next as well. Then, I will be more prepared to connect with lots of people and energy and create a big circulation to feel joy, gratitude, harmony and love.

Photo by Esteban Vargas Roa

When we tried to take this photo, the horses kept running away. We tried for so long to take the photo but they were so far away so we just gave up. Then I started taking off my clothes and they started to come close to me. How simple !!! When we are naked there is definitely more connection and harmony with nature. This photo really shows me how powerful it is to be naked.