Jali

Jali. Delhi, India. June 2018.

Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, India. June 2018.

Visiting India was a beautifully noisy experience. There are scores of people at every corner feeding the city its bustling energy. Humayun’s Tomb is one of the most visited sites in Delhi so when I saw this woman sitting alone with her son in one of the exterior niches, I had to capture it.

In June, when it is an average of 98-100°F/37-38°C each day, any shade and breeze is key. Lattice work known as jali, as seen in this window, is not only beautiful, but also serves a functional purpose. Jali helps moderate temperature and air flow, by serving as a natural air conditioner. As air flows through the openings it is compressed and released, when this happens, air becomes cooler. Jali also helps with ventilation as it filters sunlight and increases the movement of air, creating a cross breeze. Without direct sunlight you also get a beautiful soft light indoors.

Not to be a complete creeper, but jali also has privacy benefits. Due to the difference in light, you can see from the inside out and it is difficult to see from the outside in. This meant I could take this shot without disturbing the mother and son outside.

She's Out of This World

She’s Out of This World. Tokyo, Japan. January 2019.

teamLab Planets immersive digital art museum. Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan. January 2019.

When I first heard of teamLab’s digital art museum, I was skeptical. I’ve seen a lot of these “museums” pop up (ehem Museum of Ice Cream) that are created just for that “Instagram moment” and completely without any artistic meaning or value. I’m happy to report back, I was proven wrong with this museum.

teamLab Planets is a beautiful experience. There are five vignettes (some are better than others), however overall it is a very immersive and impressive experience. This was my favorite room, aptly named “The Infinite Crystal Universe”. The lights and music were so well coordinated and there was not an angle or reflection that did not look other worldly.

Here is my friend Hiroko walking through one of the corridors of the exhibit. To me, she looks like she’s amongst the stars and in a galaxy far far away.

If you find yourself in Tokyo, I highly recommend stopping by teamLab Planets and their other museum teamLab Borderless. You’ll get more than just an Instagram.

Meow

Lucky cats at Gotokuji Temple. Tokyo Japan. 2019.

Legend has it that the famous maneki-neko, lucky cat, was first born in this temple in Tokyo. There are many stories as to why they are originated here, but the most commonly accepted story dates back to the Edo Period (early 1600s - mid 1800s). The temple’s high priest had a favorite cat and one day when the feudal lord Ii Naotaka passed by the Gotokuji with his servants, the cat appeared to wave the lord in with its paw. Out of curiosity, entered the grounds where the priest greeted them with tea, a sermon, while a massive thunderstorm broke out and raged outside.

The Lord was incredibly grateful to the cat and to the priest for the protection from the storm and as a show of thanks, he donated rice crops and land to the aging temple which helped it become more prosperous and noticeable. Gotokuji Temple became a designated cemetery for Lord li’s powerful family members.

Today, the lucky, beckoning cats are a symbol of the neighborhood and visitors buy the figurines to add to the masses accumulating on the shelves in the temple (for good luck of course). They are really beautiful to see all together. I enjoyed this view of them because they remind me of the Yayoi Kusama infinity room “Phalli’s Field”.

You Looking at Me?

Nara, Japan. December 2014.

Walking through Nara, you feel like you are the subject being studied. While most known for being the first permanent capital of Japan and having the world's largest bronze Buddha, both are slowly being overshadowed by these free roaming sika (Japanese spotted) deer. Legend has it that god of thunder Takezikamuchi arrived to Nara on a white deer to protect the newly established capital. Since then, deer have been regarded as sacred, heavenly animals protecting city and country. 

The deer are tagged, accounted for, and approachable. Antlers are shaved down so they are tourist friendly and roam around freely, especially concentrated in Nara Park. Vendors sell food to feed to them so they are well fed and spoiled. Despite being tame, expect to be nudged and followed crossing Nara Park. Do not bother approaching a pack of them without having some senbei (deer crackers) ready. These guys are not messing around. 

Huashan 1914

Huashan 1914. Taipei, Taiwan. August 2017.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park is an artistic enclave in the heart of Taipei. This complex was restored and reopened as a multi-purpose creative space in 2005. The buildings were originally part of a large wine factory opened in 1914 to produce sake, ginseng wine, and breed moth orchids. After switching hands several times, the Taiwan Council for Cultural Affairs took control of the complex and started a complete reconstruction of it. The Creative Park is now home to traveling art exhibitions, painters, writers, wood carvers, theatre groups, directors, as well as an event space. When I visited, the park was hosting seperate exhibitions on Gaudi's architecture, Paul Smith's studio, and an exhibition of Nathan Sawaya's work, oh, and numerous photo shoots, of course.

Dancheong

Dancheong. Seoul, Korea. August 2017.  

Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest of the "Five Grand Palaces" in Seoul. Construction of Gyeongbokgung began in 1395 and the palace became the main royal residence during the Joseon Dynasty for roughly three hundred years before a fire swept through and demolished the grounds. The palace has been through two major restorations, each one expertly restoring the palace closely to its original design and color. 

This is the interior of Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall, where the King would host formal audiences and deliver official speeches and announcements. The size is impressive, however I was taken more with the "dancheong," the traditional decorative coloring used on the wood. The colors of "dancheong" are blue, white, red, yellow, and black and the various combinations of the colors also convey social status. The pattern pictured here in the throne room was used almost exclusively for royal residences or holy places. While I have seen palaces in Asia before, many of them are a deep red with gold decor and dark wood. The "dancheong" style is truly unique and a nice departure from what I imagined traditional Korean architecture and interior would look like. 

So Casual

So Casual. Seoul, Korea. August 2017.  

Ikseon-dong Hanok Village is a neighborhood in Seoul that even residents of the city are just now rediscovering. Thanks to a few friends in Seoul, I was able to find it and visit this bohemian hideaway. It is a traditional "hanok" (a Korean traditional house) village developed in the 1920s tucked away in the center of Seoul. Ikseon-dong was, and is, easily overlooked because it is surrounded by skyscrapers. This village was created to be transitional housing for low-income families so the entire neighborhood is comprised of low-rise buildings with wooden doors along narrow alleyways, a very modest and raw vibe. 

This hanok had been deteriorating over the years and largely forgotten until some entrepreneurial folks saw an opportunity to renovate the houses and convert them into coffee shops, tea houses, cafes, restaurants, clubs, comic book lounges, ice cream parlors, and vintage stores. All this development is very recent and Ikseon-dong is undergoing a massive resurgence. It is less crowded than other villages and much more authentic and creative.

I walked into Plant Cafe and was greeted by this amazingly stylish and handsome man with his chic slicked back hair, delicate tortoise shells glasses, large collared shirt, high waisted pants, and cognac leather shoes. I wanted to take a photo of the space and insisted that he be in the picture. He resisted at first, but eventually stepped into the natural light. I am not a great portrait photographer so I don't think this photo does him justice, but I loved his look in this industrial, raw, unfinished space. 

Long story short, Ikseon-dong Hanok Village has to be on your list of places to experience if you make it to Seoul. When you do, stop by Plant Cafe and take a better shot of this guy for me. 

Paper Prayers

Paper Prayers. Seoul, Korea. August 2017.

Bongeunsa Temple is a peaceful getaway in the middle of the urban chaos of Seoul. As you approach the temple, long rows of hanging lanterns line the pathway up. When you walk through the second gate, a beautiful courtyard opens up and hundreds of these white paper lamps hang creating a delicate white ceiling. Each lantern has a written prayer tied on it; mothers wishing for their children to attend a top college or to find a good match. Patrons give generous donations to the temple to have their prayers hang from one of these lanterns, some for up to a year. Every morning, monks hold a ceremony to read new wishes received, meditate, and pray on them. I am not a Buddhist, but admittedly I did leave my mark in the form of a prayer. Who knows, perhaps the mothers are on to something. 

Best Foot Forward

Best Foot Forward. Taipei, Taiwan. August 2017.

A trip to Taipei is incomplete until you visit the impressive Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. This memorial stands as a beautiful and stoic testament to the late leader of the Republic of China. He dedicated his life to public service and rose to prominence as a young man due to his military prowess, memorialized by the honor guard which performs a changing of the guards at the top of every hour; and a flag closing ceremony at dusk. I watched the latter ceremony and this photo was taken as two honor guards (center) were folding the flag for the evening. The entire ceremony lasts about 30 minutes and draws a significant crowd. On this particular evening, a ring of 100+ spectators encircled the soldiers, but I was determined to isolate just the silhouettes of the young guardsmen. I did the one thing you should probably avoid with any soldier, I snuck up behind the formation, got low to the ground, and angled the lens up to capture this image. Probably not the smartest thing to do, but I think it was worth it. 

Gateway to Enlightenment

Gateway to Enlightenment. Kyoto, Japan. December 2014. 

On a father-daughter excursion to Japan, my father and I visited Kyoto and made it a priority to hike Fushimi Inari Shrine together. Dating back to the 8th century, it is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of rice and sake. We visited on a cold December day, but the air felt very refreshing especially after hours of hiking up stairs and inclines. The torri gates were endless and distractingly beautiful—we just had to chase that orange lined path. The calligraphy you see on the gate is the name of the individual, family, or organization that purchased and sponsors the torii. 

During the uphill climb, my father and I thought we had reached the summit a few times before actually reaching it. The hike up to the top takes about 2-3 hours and while the view from the summit is remarkable, it was the journey through the thousands of torii that made this shrine a beautiful experience. 

Eye See You

Eye See You. Cappadocia, Turkey. November 2012.

Cappadocia is a magical place known for it's fairy chimneys, caves, and hot air ballon rides, it is a beautiful, natural wonder. My friend and I traveled to Cappadocia by way of Santorini after the 2012 election cycle. We needed a break from the chaos of the presidential campaign and decided to go into the caves (and skies) of Cappadocia, Göreme specifically, to get away. My friend and I stopped at a popular overlook for the fairy chimneys and saw this very well protected tree. It was 'looking' at us in all directions. I love the concept of the "evil eye," you can give it, and like this tree, be protected from it as well. Fate cuts both ways so beware of giving the "evil eye" because you run the risk of getting it right back.

Blue

Blue. Istanbul, Turkey. November 2012.

I visited Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as The Blue Mosque, in 2012 and it was one of the most stunning domes I have ever seen in person. The blue tiles reflect incredible light and the craftsmanship is something I still have a hard time comprehending. Istanbul is one of the most artistically stimulating places I have visited and this stunning mosque is one of the reasons why I could see myself living in there.