They are saying that rock and roll by no means dies, and there’s one ducktail-haired group in Tokyo that’s ensuring of it. A mash-up of rock and roll and nation, rockabilly stands as one of many lesser identified trend tribes of Japan, but, visually, it’s exhausting to overlook. Characterised by heavy leather-based, unabashed twisting and slicked again hair, thick with gel, the Nineteen Fifties subculture, whereas area of interest, continues to romance the bygone period.
Photographer Alvin Kean Wong is bringing the rebellious, rockabilly spirit to New York’s Decrease East Aspect for a particular weekend-long exhibition. Staged at Café Studio, Curler Zoku: Journey into Tokyo’s Rock and Roll Tribe follows Wong’s intimate immersion into the subculture, providing an up-close account of a group frozen within the fantasies of mid-century Americana.
Born in Singapore, Wong first encountered the scene on a visit throughout his teenage years, the place he witnessed the suave of The Strangers, Yoyogi Park’s iconic rockabilly group, firsthand. Drawn to the performers’ daring defiance of typical Asian stereotypes, his digicam not solely served as a documentary lens, however an inventive aperture into narratives of identification, rebel and group.
In 2019, Wong met ‘Johnny’ Daigo Yamashita – a outstanding member of the scene – and has spent the final 5 years touring with Johnny’s band, chronicling their mission to revive and go on rockabilly’s legacy. Animated by their camaraderie, freedom and uncooked ardour, Curler Zoku serves as a tribute to their resilience, providing a hope for a brand new technology, decided to maintain the once-dying subculture alive.
Curler Zoku: Journey into Tokyo’s Rock and Roll Tribe is now on view in New York by way of February 22, 2025. Head to the artist’s web site for extra info on the sequence and the photograph guide.
Cafe Studio NYC
#Unit 102W,
195 Chrystie Avenue,
New York, NY 10002
