Ben Apfelbaum

AKIRA ISOGAWA EXHIBITION @ THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM

The Powerhouse Museum’s main hall was packed to the rafters for Akira Isogawa exhibition and book launch on Tuesday 11th December. The exhibition itself became open to the general public on Friday 14th December.

Fashion pioneers were there including Linda Jackson and Jenny Kee. Art patrons and philanthropists were there including John Kaldor and Naomi Milgrom.. In fact, Ms Milgrom introduced Akira on stage to the audience after giving a heartfelt and glowing precis of Akira’s remarkable 25 year career.

The Minister for the Arts Don Harwin also spoke, as he said, as Akira’s friend.

Speakers quoted passages from Roger Leong’s book on Akira as it too was being launched. Also introduced  was the new Director of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Lisa Havilah, who was formerly Director of Carriageworks.

Nearby to the main hall  was the fashion exhibition itself. Despite being exhibited around the world, this exhibition is Akira’s first major retrospective, emphasising his inspirations and influences starting from a top which was a garment designed by Akira in 1994 for his collection ‘Not made in Japan’.

The exhibition is divided into four themes: Journey, Kimono, Collaborations and Craftsmanship.  In  addition to the 100 or so fashion pieces on display, some of which came from garments already donated to the Gallery, Akira indicated that as well what he has previously donated he will be donating a further 100 pieces bringing the Museum’s archive collection to 200.

Highlights included Akira’s designs for the Sydney Dance Company going back to the time when Graeme Murphy was its Director. The accompanying video showed how these designs were put to use with the dancers performances. Also included is his first Vogue magazine cover with a dress modelled by Naomi Campbell. Vogue’s editor saw Akira’s talent early on and her promotion of Akira launched him into the fashion guru stratosphere.

There is also a very informative video narrated by Akira as to how be came to Australia and became involved in fashion which included his graduation from East Sydney TAFE, to making counter culture costumes for 1990’s underground rap parties  to being the darling of wealthy women and their daughters.

The Akira Isogawa exhibition runs at the Museum of Applies Arts and Sciences until 30 June 2019.

Featured image – Biographer Roger Leong and Akira Isogawa. All pics by Ben Apfelbaum.

Published by Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this. I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years. During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar. My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY- DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborland. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher. Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY. My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there. I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, united states, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication.