PM of Belize came to Osaka last year for EXPO2025.
In Belize
On noname island
On the side of black boy’s second boat…
“SOMALIAN”
I was wondering…why
but,
( “Perfect view from the window” in NY ICP or UWE library in Bristol)
(Not in Osaka! :)
Black and Slave trade
Belize and the UK (the reason why they speak in English not in Spanish)
Why
“SOMALIAN” (in English) (on the side of the boat)
in Belize?
I was living in Bristol
in Council flat
in Easton! where Banksy was living! (I was shooting his early works in Bristol in 2002!
I got married and started to take photo of Graffiti.)
My husband is disabled (why they don’t pay me? WHITE!)
They didn’t pay (female photographer, her husband is disabled, I don’t want to write about it but…)
The council flat in Easton was full of SOMALIAN. (Me, I was only Japanese!, most of them are Black Somalians and the (white?) guy (who has mental disorder) and the white lady (who has some kind of mental illness)… when I look back the days in Bristol Easton Council flat,
I remember
Pastime Paradise by Stevie Wonder
Living in a pastime paradise
They’ve been wasting most their time
Glorifying days long gone behind
(THEYって誰だろう?
奴隷貿易やってたイギリス!
英国人(ロブさん!)relaxmax に払わない!(こういうの書いてて誰か「大人!」読んでたら本人に言ってあげないの?「病気のお母さんいる娘さんのお仕事に払うレーベル(メジャーは払うぞ!)とお仕事したら?」って!)
They’ve been wasting most their days
In remembrance of ignorance oldest praise
What is ignorance?
(Why none can’t change the world? I mean…why “THEY” can keep “not paying, racism!” kind of world?
In 2002, I took photo of BANKSY EASTON “it’s all gone now” (and someone sell my print “as his art”.
Why “THEY” didn’t stop him and tell him? Do you know who “he” is!? Banksy’s friend??? Santa’s ghetto? If you find “this book=”PERFECT VIEW FROM THE WINDOW” at KYOTOGRAPHIE PHOTOBOOK FAIR” you might read this… (letter?)^_^
“It’s not allowed to sell relaxmax’s art saying “this is my(L’s) art”!!!!
relaxmax’s marriage life! Her husband is disabled! She lived in council flat in Easton. Her husband is art support teacher at Filton College. Don’t sell Teacher’s wife’s (relaxmax) art saying this is “L’s art (lie!)”!!!!
(J used to be an art support teacher for People with special needs at Filton College!)
-
WHO are they? (Do you know? If you are interested… pls use “AUTO TRANSLATE!” I wrote in Japanese about ignorance haha!)
Dispensation (社会のシステム?神の恵み?)
Isolation
Exploitation (世界に搾取というものがなければ!「そんな英語=えくすぷろいっとめんと」覚えなくていいのに)
Mutilation 不具、、、(旦那さんをそう呼ぶかな?生まれつきの「身体」!私もかけたなにかはある)
Mutations (社会における変異ってなんだろう?隔離?)
ハッカーがネットをアタックする?
そしてイランではネット使えないの?
Miscreation (、、、奇形?それより)「KGが写真祭としてみすくりえいと?」したものってなんだろう?
YOU and ME?
Confirmation…to the evils of the world この偽本を「KGのブックフェアで見つけた人」は、、、confirmできた?
I was listening to hiphop when I was a high school student (ATCQ dígable planets..but WU-TANG (I haven’t listened to ) I was listening to KASSA’s C.R.E.A.M… and listened to original (PV!)
It reminds me of…ah kinda thug life in Easton Council flat!
バンクシーと一緒にやってたラザリデスに私の作品 “It’s all gone now”をかってに売られて困ってる!KGやってる夫妻ならJR知ってそうだけど!JRのロンドンショーを2004年に最初にやったラザリデス!(さんたずげっとー)
https://note.com/relaxmax/n/n373f9e978c62
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日本の90年代の高校生
世界史は選択制だった(今は?)
しかも!
奴隷海岸は
教えてなかった。。。
We (Japanese high school students in the 90s) learned about “Age of Discovery” but not all student, some chose to learn Japanese history (not world history). So they may not know about “Slave trade” or “Slave coast”.
Where is Slave Coast?
( Do you know? 京都の高校生は知ってる?イマドキはネットでぐぐると、、、?写真祭のお客さんは?ブックフェアにくる人は知ってる?)
When British arrived, apparently they found the mahogany grew abundantly in Belize, which were used for high-end furniture, and they made profit from selling them. British themselves didn’t cut mahogany, they brought slaves from Africa. As a result, there are quite a few Black in Belize. Their ancestors were brought from Africa (some are SOMALIAN) by British around that time. (Auto translate from NOTE)
−
連れてこられたソマリアンは
ベリーズで!
マホガニー切ってた!
Somalians had to cut Mahogany in Belize.
I don’t know if they knew where they were going..(British took them to Belize!? from Africa!)
I found the page on the web (Asahi / Japanese newspaper)
SOMALIA = Plantation (not slave trade) on the map… but SOMALIAN was there! as slave cutting Mahogany! so it says “SOMALIAN” on the black boy’s second boat…?!
I asked Sam (my husband’s friend, he is a cyclist living in Easton) why many Somalians lived here (in council flat)?
Sam said “because of slave trade” (prob he didn’t know about plantation in Somalia?)
In the 1990s, Somalians came to the U.K. as asylum seekers?
… and “this vintage table” made of mahogany?
I don’t know much about…
When? or
I just know it’s quite old one.
Antique?
(My ancestors?
Somalian old men?
Cutting mahogany in Caribbean and.. this table is here?)
“The window” (photobook? Where is Belize? It didn’t say the name of the country, secret?…somewhere on the Caribbean)
Library in Bristol, UWE? Do they still have it? (The Earth is not dead yet in 2080 in the novel, Bristol is not 123.8F (51C) but quite hot EARTH…Mecca?)
You know Oxfam?
They sell “FAIR TRADE chocolate” but…
(Where? Oxfam? What is Fair Trade?)
So this chocolate is… (not FAIR TRADE one, just from TESCO or somewhere?)
and THIS MAHOGANY DESK is…(not FAIR TRADE one?)
…and “THIS CD : GOOD ENERGY RSD” released in 2009? Punchdrunk? 4080 Label? Bristol? Smith? Rob Smith Dub?
“Is this CD NOT FAIR TRADE?”
Coz
It’s not Black (she is Japanese, Asian)
It’s not Somalian cutting Mahogany (she took photo, she designed)
Sugar cane? (It was not FAIR TRADE? TEA? SUGAR? “West India sugar boycott”)
Is there social movement in London?(not in Bristol?)
So BRISTOLIAN didn’t know about social movement in London (or Sugar cane is NOT CD?)…THEY IGNORANT?
Who are they?
THEY made relaxmax SLAVE?
They made relaxmax slave and made CD in 2009? People were dancing? DUBSTEP? At Glastonbury fes or… were they really ignorant? or just NOT HUMAN? (humanity?)
(The BLACK Somalian boy tried to listen to CD, released in 2009 Bristol, old one, 79 years ago?)
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To keep them in control was not difficult.
Controlled dance, (not knowing what kind of slave trade “THEY” did)
Dance till your death.
Glasto?
You knew? and had “HAPPY DANCE”? Not IGNORANT just ignoring something REALLY IMPORTANT TO MUSIC!
-
My ancestors were cutting Mahogany? not Sugar cane?, the black SOMALIAN BOY thought…
Slave trade and Belize?
…so Smith died years ago?
Old CD “Good Energy 2009″? DUBSTEP?
You know nothing if you just listen to music, don’t you?
What is Slave? Who are slaves? (Mahogany? Somalian? CD? relaxmax… not sugar cane so “THEY” didn’t know?)
You know who you are? (Do you know who were slaves? “THEIR NAMES”?)
−
Do you know this word “You know who you are”?
Originally,
Smith (not BLACK, Smith and Mighty) said to IKUE,
“You know who you are”
I heard…
(I didn’t know but is there?
Written somewhere?
“You know who you are”)
CD?
Good Energy?
(Credit? Where?
…so Smith has gone and relaxmax couldn’t get in touch with?
“THEY” didn’t write “HER NAME relaxmax”?.. (coz they thought relaxmax was SLAVE so they don’t have to credit her NAME!?)
Not written “NAME”?
They (who didn’t know West India sugar boycott social movement in LONDON!) dance?
Smith was playing?
The music? Good energy?
DUBSTEP 2009?
(AI: The West India sugar boycott was a major 18th and 19th-century grassroots campaign where approximately 300,000 Britons refused to consume sugar produced by enslaved people in the West Indies.)
Shady labels? 4080?
We Out Here (Noah? How much were their wedding rings? They made relaxmax slave as well? How much did Mr.and Mrs.Ball paid to wedding photographer and not paying relaxmax? ah WHITE and music? Did they really love music?)
“In Control” was not difficult?
Reggae is from Jamaica (many Jamaican live in Bristol, so reggae music is popular there.)
Bristolian Smith (white! male! slave trader!) was playing reggae!? How come! Smith made slave and played reggae! What a white!
To keep them in control was not difficult. (1984? 2080 now!)
Smith was playing with a hooker on the island and told relaxmax and her mother tons of lies “I don’t even have POTATO money..” (but Smith had money to play with go go girl! Flight money?)
Smith was crying and told relaxmax “I didn’t do anything hurt you” (he meant he didn’t have sex with hooker? Potato?)
NO REDEMPTION SONG
Smith played for 311 FUKUSHIMA TSUNAMI benefit?
No electricity? Nuclear disaster?… and “They (white and Korean male shady label and slave trader?)” made relaxmax exposed to radiation!? (… and Korean and Bristol WHITE made money? Korean brought up his kid with “THAT MONEY” (and not paying relaxmax?!?!)
REDEMPTION SONG by Bob Marley
Old pirates, yes, they rob I (relaxmax’s photo? for free!?)
Sold I to the merchant ships (shady label ZETTAIMU!?), ah
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty
We forward in this generation, yeah
Triumphantly
Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
‘Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds!
Have no fear for atomic energy
(Lier Smith played this song?
…so better to have fear for atomic energy?)
‘Cause none of them can stop the time
(2011.3.11 “THEY” didn’t pay relaxmax for years?)
How long shall they kill our prophets
(Prophet relaxmax? You mean? They tried but she survived.)
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, i’m saying it’s just a part of it
We’ve got to fulfill the book
Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
‘Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Bristolian prob knew about GAZA(so Smith made mixtape?…Smith had that kind of “Humanity”… “THEY” didn’t know about SLAVE?( Mahogany cutting Somalian or relaxmax? Photo? Design?)
(Some can read in Japanese, but if it’s not written in English, many people don’t know about…but some could use “auto translation”? )
−
You know who you are
The reason why there was no name on CD credit… (Smith had wife, relaxmax was not WIFE!?)
In 2008, Outlook fes in Croatia!? They made “NOT WIFE” slave!?
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What is slave?
You know who you are? (Do you know who was the slave?)
Where?
“The word” written where?!
Mahogany? Sugar cane? Social movement in London (not in Bristol) … but it was about “sugar” not about “CD (design photo artwork)”..
−
Her name is IKUE
You know who you are?
Her wedding ring was a pound! (…and “THEY” made relaxmax slave!? How much were their rings!?)
In Kyoto,
“They” had wedding ceremony and party (How much was it, all together!? Shimogamo shrine!? 3 times!? Bride changed her dresses and “THEY” didn’t pay relaxmax!? How much were clothes all together!? White KIMONO? White wedding dress? IRO UCHIKAKE? (And two more! 2jikai? 3jikai?). “THEY” spent such amount for “clothes” and didn’t pay relaxmax!? (Ah.. they made relaxmax slave!!!) .. KYOTO is that kind of CITY!, did you know?
How did they teach art uni students in Kyoto!?
Are their “Spose” disabled?
Why univ in KYOTO didn’t teach kids to pay photographers (relaxmax) money! How much were their rings? How much did they spent for their honey moon?
..and it’s not only one wedding! (4!? All together?!)
relaxmax didn’t wear any “WHITE WEDDING dress” (but “THEY” made relaxmax slave! Her shoes were from a charity shop for 4.99 quid. relaxmax’s mother didn’t see IKUE’s wedding dress!
(だけど、、、3回も!?お着替えしたの?フォトグラファーrelaxmaxに払わない結婚?そんな京都でいいの?1000円ぐらいの古着の靴を履いてウエディングドレスは着てないブリストルの結婚!そういうrelaxmax に写真のお金払わないような「京都の学生」!だった彼ら、、、「もっとちゃんと教育して!」この写真祭は「教育の機会」になってるの?、、、払わない人種差別は続いている)
Slaves? Somalian? Council flat in Easton Bristol where many Somalian and relaxmax and her husband lived .. her marriage days in Bristol. This is KYOTO ( “THEY” didn’t pay relaxmax and how much were their rings?) This is Kyotographie ( “They” could teach with their photo fes?, don’t they?)
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フォトグラファーとしては、、、
relaxmaxって誰?
ジャイルス・ピーターソンの運営するレーベルBrownswood Recordingsからデビューのホセ・ジェイムスはrelaxmaxの撮影した東京デビューLIVEの写真にほれ込み、「自分のデビューアルバムに写真を使いたい」と絶賛。
スミスアンドマイティのロブスミスのソロ「GOOD ENERGY」「GO IN A GOODWAY」「MIX WORK IN DUB」「SKY BLUE LOVE」のアルバムカバーの印象的な写真作品を創造した。(デザインもやったやつはやったよ)彼女はまた、英国ブリストルイーストンのバンクシーの壁を撮影。
写真作品は、KYOTOGRAPHIE(日本 京都)で展示、本「Perfect View From The Window」はアルル国際フォトフェスティバル(アルル)、ICP(NY)所蔵。
relaxmax is a photographer artist based in Osaka Japan. José James who released his debut album from Giles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings was so impressed by relaxmax’s photographs of José’s Tokyo debut, he praised and said “I want to use relaxmax’s photos for my debut album “The Dreamer”. relaxmax designed and made art works for the album covers of Rob Smith’s (of Smith & Mighty from Bristol) solo albums “GOOD ENERGY”(photo artwork design), “GO IN A GOOD WAY” (photo), “MIX WORK IN DUB” (photo), and “SKY BLUE LOVE” (photo artwork design). relaxmax also photographed Banksy’s early works, walls in Bristol Easton UK where relaxmax used to live ..her marriage days! relaxmax’s art works have been exhibited at KYOTOGRAPHIE, and her book “Perfect View From The Window” are at Arles International Photo Festival (France) UWE media center (Bristol UK), and in the collection of ICP (NY USA). (Auto translate)
relaxmax
宇山 郁恵
リラックスマックス
ウヤマ イクエ
Born in Osaka Japan.
Japanese
She met children in morocco, watching full moon rising from the dessert together…and they said “It’s tranquil here…relaxmax”
To heal the earth, I heal people with my photos.
It’s miracle to be ”here and now”.
Let our tru-self shine and live on this paradise Earth!
Following the magic of the nature,
Capturring the light and reflect it onto photographs.
Her camera is the catcher of the miracles.
Her photo book “Perfect View from the Window” is stored in International Center of Photography in NY.
prize : 2014 FUJI FILM PHOTO BOOK AWARD
publication : 2018 featured story HIMATSURI on LIFE magazine China
Exhibitions
2015 relaxmax on the road
2016 The Earth from the Star ship Lumen gallery KYOTOGRAPHIE KG+
2016 BLUE SKY LOVE KYOTOGRAPHIE KG+
2017 LOVE+LIGHT Kurama-dera temple
KYOTOGRAPHIE KG+
2018 HIMATSURI KYOTOGRAPHIE KG+
2019 Rencontres d’Arles
“Perfect View from the Window”
photo book showcasing in Arles
2021 10-on-02 Humburg Osaka VR exhibition
workshop : 2018 Finding Your Vision workshop with Alex Webb (Magnum photos) and Rebecca Norris Webb in Oaxaca, Mexico
In spring time, I was 23, reading Haruki M’s “Sputnik Sweetheart” , like Sumire in his novel, reading Kerouac, wanted to be a novelist, though never finish writing a novel. My passion went onto photography.
Photo book version in links above.
I will update new story on EVERY NEW MOON DAY.
(I already finished writing in Japanese in 2017, I was trying my best to write in English…2019-2020 It was “on going project” on note website, and now it’s finished! )
“We evacuated in concrete houses, leaned on each other, most houses in “CAYE” used to be a wooden house. There was no choice, otherwise they might be blown away. “
お互いがお互いを助け合う。
“We helped each other.
We are ONE BIG FAMILY.” J said and looked into the distant blue.
みんながひとつの大きな家族みたいなものだから」J は遠くを見つめて言う。
「ダイビングはいい。」
「あまり泳ぎまわるより、海の底でただ座ってじっと魚の動きを見ているのが好きなんだ。
じっと一カ所にとどまって、ただ海の底にいる。ただそこにいて、世界を観察する。」
「レスキューダイバー(ライセンス)は取っておいたほうがいいよ。」忠告するように彼は言う。
” I love diving.“
“Stay still under water… just watch fish swimming around me…sitting on the rock, watching fish moving around “
“Just be there…observing the the world going by. “
“It’s good to have rescue diver (licence).” he said.
彼の背中には、友人を偲んでいれたというイエス・キリストのタトゥがあり、こちらを見つめ返してくる。
誰か助けられなかった友達がいたのだろうか?
後になってふと、彼の背中のタトゥを思い出す。
Tattoo on his back is staring back to me…It’s remembrance of his friends.
The face of Jesus.
I wonder who were his lost friends.
The sweat (or tears?) on eyes of Jesus’ tattoo on J’s back reflected in the sunlight.
Later on,
I suddenly remembered J’s tattoo on his back
…out of nowhere.
タトゥが、背中の汗と一緒に太陽の光に反射している。
なにか大切なものを覚えておくように、思い出すように、メッセージを放つようにキラリと輝く。
Remember something important, think it again, keep it real…messages from Jesus’ eyes sparkled on his back.
JAH BLESS US ALL.
JAH が私たちを導き癒してくれる。
後悔から学ぶこともあると、人はいうけれど。
今できることを、今ここでする、シンプルな真実。
Someone said to me…We should learn from our regrets.
I just happen to be in somebody’s dream he dreamed, it might be a CAT in that novel? or a song … called Blue Shinin’Quick Star I was listening when I was 15.
この世界は夢みたいなもの。
世界は誰かが見た夢で出来ている。
ときどき
おなじ夢の中 目覚め
もしくは
誰かのすでに見た夢のなかに遊びにいくように
自分を、その物語の中に再発見する。
誰かが書いていた小説のなか、夢みていたのは猫なのか?
それとも、15歳のとき聴いていたあの曲、Blue Shining’ Quick Star
で語られていた沈黙のなかの真実とは?
それぞれの夢が宇宙を作り、ひとつの世界でつながり
時おり交差して、日々の暮らしを形作っている。
Our dreams create the universe we want
Sometimes
Our daily miracles cross our destiny
to share the beauty of the world
魔法は日常にたくさんひそんでいる。
それをすくいだす錬金術が、音楽や文学、マンガ、写真たち、
あらゆる種類の芸術のなかにある。
それらは、
大きな宇宙の小さな秘密を、少しずつそっと教えてくれる。
We find hidden magic in our everyday life
Alchemy is in music, literature, mangas, photographs, and all sorts of ART we admire!
Secret of the huge universe
We explore with these miraculous treasures
あの島の、
あの窓の魔法が、
写真を通して、
またこの赤い本の物語を通して、
たくさんの人を
うつくしい白日夢のなかに誘いますようにと、祈る。
The magic moment we share
In this red book
I wrote some nice words I heard
The house, The window!
I ask for answered prayer
For SURE, for REAL!
We are living in daily miracles!
Daydreaming of THAT island…
小説版 PERFECT VIEW FROM THE WINDOW (novel version)
written by relaxmax (in Japanese 2017, in English finished around Annular solar eclipse 2020)