Hidemi Takagi

Host David Colosi talks to artist Hidemi Takagi about her photo and video projects. Growing up in Japan, she adored American films from the 1950s and ‘60s. The George Lucas classic American Graffiti made a significant impression. Her projects reflect this influence as she recreates that characteristic vibrancy and hyper-saturation of color as a nostalgic throwback to what was then her future dream of America. As a resident of New York City since 1997, living in various neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn, she finds the established cultures within her new homes – the Dominican population in Washington Heights, barbershop culture in Bed-Stuy, a senior home in Crown Heights – and photographs the color, joy and life of the people who came from diverse communities around the world to become Americans in this city. Visit her website here. Hidemi Takagi was born in Kyoto and currently lives in Brooklyn. She has exhibited internationally (London, Madrid, Tel Aviv, Berlin, Paris) and nationally, most recently in New York at The Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Queens Museum, BRIC Media Art Center, White Columns, Momenta Art, The Nathan Cummings Foundation and NYFA Gallery. Takagi has participated in the Artist in the Marketplace program at The Bronx Museum, the Immigrant Artist Program at NYFA, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Swing Space program, Engaging Artist Residency by More Art and BRIC New Media Arts Fellowship. Her Blender project was selected for Times Square Public Arts 2011, and Hello It's Me was awarded Seed Grant funds from More Art.

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