„Es war ein
sonniger Tag…“

Im Oktober 1964. Ich war in der ersten Klasse. Das, was ich als Erstklässler erlebt habe, ist natürlich etwas anderes als das, was man als Erwachsener erlebt. Ich saß in der ersten Klasse der Grundschule und plötzlich wurde ich durch eine Durchsage gebeten zum Schultor zu kommen, um von meiner Mutter abgeholt zu werden. Wir gingen zu den Olympischen Spielen ins Stadion. Das hat mich überrascht, vor allem, weil es durch eine offizielle Schuldurchsage kommuniziert wurde. Das war äußerst ungewöhnlich.

„It was a sunny day...“
Ocotber 1964. I was in the first grade. What I experienced as a first grader is of course different from what you experience as an adult. I was sitting in the first class of primary school and suddenly an announcement asked me to come to the school gate to be picked up by my mother. We were going to the stadium for the Olympic Games. This surprised me, especially because it was communicated through an official school announcement. That was extremely unusual.

Shingo Shimada, Vernissage  02. Juni 2022, IN-EAST Duisburg 
Copyright Pictures: IOC, 1964

SILENCE.
THE FLAME. 
MUTED.

olympic silver medalist - Freestyle wrestling - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Performing arts center - Auditorium - empty - covid corona - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
silence

SILENCE.
THE FLAME.
MUTED.

mh

Ein Prozess, der niemals endet. Seit 2014 setze ich mich intensiv mit Japan und dessen Kultur fotografisch auseinander. Am Anfang war die Vorstellung: ich fliege nach Japan, bleibe vier, vielleicht fünf Wochen und fotografiere. „In dieser Zeit werde ich genügend Bildmaterial generieren, um damit etwas zu gestalten!“ So war die Idee, und wie so oft im Leben: Es kommt meist anders als man denkt.

Am Ende steht nun eine persönliche Reise von vielen Jahren. Viele einsame Stunden, viele Fragen, viel Kritik und eine intensive Auseinandersetzung mit mir selbst. Ein Prozess, den viele Kreative kennen, welcher wohl niemals aufhört. 

Hier präsentiere ich nun eine Arbeit, in der es um viel mehr geht, als nur um Olympia. Es geht um Zeitgeschichte, da die Welt im Wandel steckt. Es geht um Banalität und Emotionen, die besonders sind. Dieses Werk spiegelt aber auch meine eigene Reise wider, die ich bis hierher machen durfte. SILENCE ist mein Beitrag inmitten einer turbulenten Zeit, welche die Welt maßgeblich auf den Kopf stellt.

Ich bin dankbar, dass ich meine Freunde so eng und lange begleiten durfte, zu sehen, wie am Ende die Medaille endlich in den eigenen Händen gehalten wird. Ein Geschenk, welches nur wenige Sportler am Ende ihrer Karriere haben. Jeder dieser Sportler durchläuft einen langen Weg, der von viel Schmerz, Verzicht, Durchhaltevermögen, Verletzungen, Trauer, Glaube, Wille, Freude und dem notwendigen Glück geprägt ist.

Mein Weg hat nicht zur Olympiamedaille geführt, dennoch bin ich dankbar, dass ich auf andere Weise meinen Teil dazu beitragen darf, dass diese Emotionen, Momente und Gedanken nicht verloren gehen.

Arrigato.

A never ending process. Since 2014, I have been intensively exploring Japan and its culture photographically. At the beginning, the idea was formulated as follows: I fly to Japan, stay four, maybe five weeks and take photographs. During this time I will generate enough image material to create something with it. That was the idea, and as so often in life:
Things usually turn out differently than you think.

At the end there is now a personal journey of many years. Many lonely hours, many questions, much criticism and an intensive examination of myself. A process that many creative people know and which probably never ends.

Here I now present a work that is about much more than just Olympia. It is about contemporary history, because the world is changing. It is about banality and emotions that are special. But this work also reflects my own journey that I have been privileged to make to this point. SILENCE is my contribution in the midst of a turbulent time that is significantly turning the world upside down.

I am grateful to have been able to accompany my friends so closely and for so long, to see how in the end the medal is finally held in my own hands. It is a gift that few athletes have at the end of their career. Each of these athletes goes through a long journey, which is marked by a lot of pain, renunciation, perseverance, injuries, grief, faith, will, joy and the necessary luck.

My path did not lead to an Olympic medal, yet I am grateful that I can do my part in other ways to ensure that these emotions, moments and thoughts are not lost.

Arrigato.

 

2020

Performance art - Black M - Light
Night - Creative director - Light - Kyoto
Human - Photographer - sunlight - kyoto - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Portrait - Human - Light - sun

2021


23th July 2021 It is now just before 6 p.m., 5:40 p.m. And I'm sitting in the Olympic Stadium. It is already an exciting sight. All the mad photographers have arrived. I'm sitting in position "A", relatively central and good. And yes, now we can wait for the spectacle. At the photo briefing, there was no restriction whatsoever as far as Corona was concerned, so there were simply 500 photographers in one spot. The stadium is empty, very restrictive. The royal family will also be sitting here, which means it's an exciting moment, because that was also the case in 1964, so to speak, that the games were assigned to the emperor (as a person of honour). They are here again today. And yes, we can wait and see. A lot will happen here with projections, from all directions. That means the interior is white and you can wait and see what exciting things will happen…

Institute of Japanese Culture - Japanese Culture Institute - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation - opening ceremony
Olympic Games - Red flag - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation - opening ceremony


…So, back from the opening ceremony.
I am pretty exhausted. Yes, it was an hour longer than planned, then of course the transport back didn't work at all. As usual here now with the Japanese, a disaster. The opening ceremony was quite nice. But I have to be honest: it wasn't a big highlight. I really thought there would be more. Many chances were more or less wasted. Especially with regard to the speeches and so on given by the IOC etc. That was not good, in my opinion. The beginning of the opening was great and also the end was quite cool, because there was one or two good moments. (Example: the staging of the pictograms). But basically: what was important was not thematised. That was a pity. My summary: it was a great experience. 

And now: good night.

Light - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation - opening ceremony
Olympic Games - Director - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Face - Creative director - Daria bilodid - Ukraine - world champion judo - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Security - bight - red light - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Portrait - Forehead - close-up - judo - Kim - Korea - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
protective - Personal protective equipment - police officer - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
portrait - champion - Headphones - judo - france - olympic champion - clarisse agbegnenou - world champion - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation - closeup
Creative director - Director - red light - night - police - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Stadium - Athlete - 2 Olympic champion high jump - quatar - Italy - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Olympic Games - Black - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Road - Public space - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Architecture - Photography - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Media Hub - broadcast center - Olympic Games - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Indoor games and sports - Sports venue - judo - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Floor - Olympic Games - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Olympic Games - Director - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Indoor games and sports - Olympic Games - simone biles - mental health - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation - hero
Indoor games and sports - Olympic Games - Tunisia - olympic champion - 18 year old swimmer - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Architecture - Face - bench - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Arena - Swimming Pool - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Board Game - Design - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation - opening ceremony
Public transport - Architecture - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Facial hair - Olympic Games - Kevin durant - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation - basketball - NBA
Olympic Games - Creative director - medal ceremony - wrestling - gold medal Germany - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation
Olympic Games - Director - 100m final - Olympic Games 2021 - tokyo2020 - SILENCE.THE FLAME. MUTED. - exhibition - Japan foundation

The exhibition. 08. April - 26. June 2022, Japanisches Kulturinstitut (Japan Foundation) Cologne. 

SILENCE. The Olympic fire is important, it is one of the most significant symbols. The „fire“ stands for the Olympic spirit and for international understanding.
 
In 1964, the Olympic Games were opened in Tokyo. Today they are seen as the turning point of post-war reconstruction for Japanese history and society. The world‘s view of the country was special.
 
57 years later, themes such as rebirth and resilience are once again the focus of the internal and external gaze on Japan. The years 2020 / 2021 of the XXXII Olympiad symbolise for Japan and the mega-metropolis Tokyo the resilience of a world society in the midst of a global pandemic.
 
Images, text fragments and sound documents are an important part of this transmedial narration with an unusual view of emotions as well as lonely and banal moments of these Olympic Games in 2021 in Tokyo - which were different.
THE FLAME. MUTED.

Further exhibitions: IN-EAST Institute Duisburg (since June 2022), Photofestival in Arles (03. - 10. July 2022).

+ MORE
01 DER KREIS SCHLIESST SICH / THE CIRCLE
02 ERLEBEN / TO EXPERIENCE
03 ERFAHREN / TO LEARN
04 GESTALTEN (DIGITAL WORLD) / TO SHAPE
05 INDEX
06 SILENCE-TALK WITH OLYMPIC HEROS
07 EXHIBITION APP
08 INTERVIEW

The book.  
Format: 28.8 × 23 cm + panorama pages + insert pages
Hardcover + screen printing
Scope: 220 pages, top quality offset printing
Paper: 148g/m2 Fedrigoni Arena Extra White Rough
Climate-neutral and sustainably produced on FSC®-certified paper by the printing company "druckpartner" in Germany
Printing: June 2022
Limited Edition: 50 pieces


+ CONTRIBUTORS
A special thanks to the whole team. Without you, the project would never have become what it is today. Thanks for all the input, for all sketches and constructions, for the designs, for the creation in Unreal, for printing, for music composition and interactive design, thanks for choosing the right pictures with me and pushing my limits:

Jochen Peitz, Navid Razavi, Daniel J. Sperling, Tobias Oebel, Sven Maresch, Frederic Ranft, Nicki Graczyk, Tobias von Aesch, Kai Jünemann, Dirk Gebhardt, Bianca Reimann, Björn Weber, Jochen Lauscher, Addick Addicks, Christian Tagsold, Ulf Meyer, DokuMe, Dirk Behrendt, MKW NRW, Druckpartner and Buchbinderei Reinartz.

Selected Clients: ZEISS, Mercedes-Benz, Innenministerium NRW, MediaMarktSaturn, TBWA, BBDO, Heimat Werbeagentur, DDB, C3, C/O, HAVAS, fischerAppelt, Klosterfrau, Bundeswehr, Henkel, SOMAT, Loctite, Pattex, Persil, Bref, Alltours, Kuoni/DER Touristik, REWE, Bosch, Bizerba, Ford, ZDF.

CONTACT 
info@marcelhaupt.com 
+49 162 7 08 35 70

represented by
BOSCHTOBANRAP Artist Management
hello@boschtobanrap.com
+49 221 29 28 61 0

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