[2024.11.01] BRUTUS Magazine- OPEN MY WINDOW

[Wintek]

The November 1st issue of BRUTUS was released on October 15th, 2024. It's a special feature on "beautiful windows" (No. 1018). It includes a 1-page interview with Yuzuru and a special photoshoot of Yuzuru wearing Gucci.

More information about the issue: https://brutus.jp/magazine/issue/1018/
Paper and digital copy of the magazine featuring Yuzuru available on Amazon Japan and Honto

NOTE:BRUTUS is a lifestyle magazine with a the majority of the readership being male. It's name comes from the cartoon character "Brutus" from "Popeye the Sailor". The publisher of BRUTUS is Magazine House, which also publishes the men's fashion magazine Popeye ("magazine for city boys"). In 1980, the editor-in-chief of Popeye magazine suggested the creation of another magazine for the "graduates of Popeye". And thus, BRUTUS was created.

[Wintek]

*Machine translation from Japanese to English. Inaccuracies exist*
(I have added some notes about certain kanji at the end)

OPEN MY WINDOW

Open your own window. Yuzuru Hanyu Special Photoshoot.

P: 56-65 (interview is in p. 65).

 

What do you see from your window, Hanyu-san?

On a summer day, Yuzuru Hanyu sat by the window in a certain studio house, quietly gazing at the sunlit garden, where rays of sunlight streamed through the trees. From a small speaker, Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No. 1, a piece he chose from his iPhone playlist, played softly in the background, complementing the scene.

"When I do a photoshoot, I always select music that fits each situation and intention for every cut. Since turning pro, I've had more opportunities to be photographed as a person and an artist rather than as an athlete, and every time, I feel how much time and effort many people pour into creating a single photo. I heard the theme for today's shoot with BRUTUS was 'windows,' so I approached it with the mindset of placing myself into a pre-constructed story."

Spoiler

At the beginning of the Gymnopédie No. 1 score, there’s a performance instruction: "Slowly, with pain." The melancholic yet calm tones of the music seem to mirror the skater, who, both in his journey to glory and afterward, likely endured both physical and mental pains. Hanyu-san, what do you see from your window?

"When I lived in Toronto, my apartment was on a high floor, so I could see the whole city from there. I often saw rain falling where clouds hovered, while a rainbow appeared in the gaps between the clouds. That sight left a lasting impression on me. I also can’t forget the view I saw from the window of the plane when I was on a trip for an overseas competition. I’m not sure if I was going to or coming back from Europe, but the plane was flying above the clouds, and amid the darkness, the only thing glowing brightly was the moon. The moon’s brightness was so intense that it made even the surrounding stars invisible. That scene was so beautiful that I pressed my forehead against the window and gazed at it for a long time."

A town with rain and rainbows, and a night with only moonlight. These scenes seem to hint at his journey thus far. During the shoot, we captured Hanyu both inside and outside the window. Which side does he prefer?

"In terms of my personality, I might be the type who prefers to stay inside. I’m quite introspective and have spent a lot of time pondering myself and humanity since I was little. So in that sense, maybe I’m someone who shuts the window and concentrates on being alone. But no matter how sociable or cheerful a person is, I think everyone has their own personal space, and sometimes they want to completely shut the window. But, there should always be a handle on that window. So that one day, someone can open it for you, or you can open it yourself... I thought it would be nice if I could express something like that during today’s window-side shoot."

In July 2022, he announced his transition to professional skating, a declaration of his unwavering drive to keep moving forward. Though he left the world of competitions where athletes are ranked against one another, his battle with himself continues, as does his pursuit of even greater heights. He has already completed three groundbreaking solo performances in the figure skating world, all of which were hugely successful. If we were to compare Hanyu-san to a house, would his professional transition be like moving to a new home, or is it more like his house remains the same, but he has changed the direction of the windows and the views they offer?

"Hmm... That’s true. My fundamental nature hasn’t changed at all, from before I started skating to now. I’ve always had a spirit of inquiry and curiosity (探究心). I’m the type to always be wondering, ‘What is humanity?’ So in that sense, my 'house'(1) is the same. I probably have windows facing in every direction, but I think I’ve hung blackout curtains(2) over them. Sometimes I want to feel the morning sun coming through the east-facing window, and other times I close all the curtains because I don’t want to see anything at all. I find humans, including myself, to be incredibly self-centered(3) but also fascinating. There are times when we want to belong to society, and times when we want to retreat into solitude. When I’m touring… maybe the curtains are closed. I shut out all the noise and focus on myself, aiming to deliver the best performance. And afterward, I sneak a peek by lifting the curtain a bit to check the audience’s reactions." (laughs)

The solo performance tour, RE_PRAY, held from 2023 to 2024, depicted a role-playing game world where Hanyu was the protagonist. Combining skating with video projections, the show expressed dualities like success and failure, life and death, light and darkness, game over and continue, in a way that resonated with everyone as if it were their own story. It was a groundbreaking ice show with universal themes. Hanyu always exceeds his fans' expectations. What’s next for him?

"I can’t reveal everything, but... I’m always considering new music and programs. Earlier, I mentioned that I haven’t changed, but since turning professional, how I spend my daily time has clearly shifted, and now I don’t have much time to just sit idly. I’ll be 30 this year, so these days, I’m constantly reflecting on the nearly 30 years of hard work I’ve put in and the meaning of my existence now."

After the interview, as Hanyu returned to the studio for the remaining photoshoot, Yumi Matsutoya’s Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara(4) (Wrapped in Kindness) played in the background. "Open the curtains..." Perhaps Hanyu is now opening windows in all directions, ready to take in new input as he contemplates his next step. He may be telling himself that everything he sees is a message.

Yuzuru Hanyu

Born in 1994 in Miyagi Prefecture. He won consecutive gold medals in men’s singles figure skating at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. He has claimed numerous victories in the World Championships and the Grand Prix Final. In 2018, he was awarded the People’s Honor Award. Since turning professional in July 2022, he has served as the producer of his own solo shows, including "GIFT" and "RE_PRAY." He also collaborated on a picture book titled "GIFT" (written by Yuzuru Hanyu, illustrated by CLAMP).

cast/Yuzuru Hanyu

photo/ Masahiro Sambe 

styling/ Tetsuro Nagase 

hair/ TAKU 

make/ Nobuko Maekawa 

text/ Mari Matsubara 

direction/ Taro Mizutani

 

NOTES:

(1) 家: interestingly this kanji that means “house” or “home” (いえ, ie), can also be used in combination with other terms to indicate expertise or professionalism (pronounced as "ka" in its Sino-Japanese reading). E.g. 芸術家 (geijutsuka)/ artist, 専門家 (senmonka)/ specialist.

(2) 遮光カーテン: literally “blackout curtains” or "light-blocking curtains." Personal note for my own learning: 遮 (sha) means "block" or "obstruct," but it also contains the nuance of "protecting" or "shielding." Thus, the idea of closing the blackout curtains is both a way to shield himself from the outside world and to protect his inner self.

(3) 自分勝手: selfish or self-centered. Personal note for my own learning: 自分 means “oneself” and 勝手 mans “one's own way” or “of one's own accord”. Though the latter can be defined as selfishness, it can also be seen as expressing the freedom of being true to oneself. 

 

(4)  You may recognize the song from Hayao Miyazaki’s movie “Kiki’s Delivery Service.”

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.10.15

Source: BRUTUS November 1, 2024 issue No. 1018 [Beautiful Architecture and Windows], pg 65

Gucci: https://x.com/gucci_jp/status/1846128889573032006

BTS: 
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_MEmG5MwL0g 
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lAnWsArkHYw

 

 

 OPEN MY WINDOW

Open your own window. Hanyu Yuzuru special photoshoot.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu
Hanyu Yuzuru / Born in Miyagi Prefecture in 1994. He won two consecutive gold medals in men's singles figure skating at the Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics. He has also won numerous World Championships and Grand Prix Finals. In 2018, he received the People’s Honor Award. After turning professional in July 2022, he became a producer and held three solo shows, including "GIFT" and "RE_PRAY." He also has a picture book titled "GIFT" (text: Yuzuru Hanyu, illustrations: CLAMP).

 

What do you see from your window, Hanyu-san?

 

Spoiler

One summer day in a house studio, Yuzuru Hanyu was sitting by the window. He gazed at the garden, which glistens in the quiet sunlight shining through the trees. Behind the sound of the shutter, Erik Satie’s "Gymnopédie No. 1," which he had selected from his iPhone playlist, was playing on the portable speaker.

"During shoots, I always choose a song that suits the situation and the intention for each shot. Since turning professional, I've had more opportunities to be photographed not just as an athlete, but as a person and an artist, and each time I am reminded of how many people put in a lot of time and effort to create a single photograph. When I heard that today’s theme from BRUTUS was 'windows,' I approached the shoot as if I were trying to fit myself into a crafted story."

 

At the beginning of the score for "Gymnopédie No. 1," the performance instructions read, "Slowly, with sorrow." The gentle yet melancholic melody resonates with the struggles a skater must have faced both physically and mentally, before and after achieving glory. Hanyu-san, what do you see from your window?

"When I used to live in Toronto, my house was on a high floor of a building, so I could see the whole city. It was raining in the areas covered by clouds, but I often saw rainbows in the gaps between the clouds where it wasn’t raining at all. That scene left a strong impression on me. I also can’t forget the view I saw from the airplane window during overseas trips. Whether it was on my way to Europe or coming back, I can’t recall clearly, but the plane was flying above the clouds, and only the moon shone brightly amidst the surrounding darkness. The brightness of the moon made it impossible to see the stars, and that scene was so beautiful that I rested my forehead against the window and gazed at it for a long time."

 

A town in the rain and with a rainbow. Darkness and moonlight. Even these scenes seem to suggest the journey he has taken so far. During the photo shoot, Hanyu was photographed from both inside and outside the window, but which side does he prefer?

"Personality-wise, I guess I'm the type who likes to keep to myself. I'm an introspective person, and I've often thought deeply about myself and people since I was little, so in that sense I might be the type of person who prefers to close the window and focus on being alone. However, I believe that even the most sociable and cheerful people need personal space and sometimes want to close all the windows. But those windows must have handles on them, so that when the time comes, someone else can open it for them, or they can open it themselves… That's what I was hoping to express in that window-shoot I did earlier."

 

He announced his transition to a professional career in July 2022. It was a declaration of his unwavering commitment to move forward. Although he stepped away from the competitive world where he compared himself to others, his battle with himself continues as he strives for even greater heights. He has already achieved three solo shows, a first in the figure skating world, all of which were a huge success. If we were to compare Hanyu to a house, would it be that he didn’t move to a new house when he turned professional; rather, the house itself remains the same, but the direction the window opens and the view from it have changed?

"Well, it’s true that my fundamental personality hasn't changed at all from before I started skating to the present. I have always been inquisitive and curious, often wondering, 'What is a human being?' In that sense, it is the same house. I probably have windows facing all directions, and I probably hang blackout curtains over them. Sometimes I want to feel the morning sun coming through the east-facing window, and other times I don't want to see anything and keep all the curtains closed. I think humans, myself included, are very selfish and interesting, and sometimes we wish to be part of society, and sometimes we just want to shut ourselves away in solitude. "When I'm on tour, I might close the curtains. I want to block out the noise around me, concentrate on myself, and deliver a good performance. Afterwards, I'll secretly lift the curtains to see how the audience reacts (laughs)."

 

In his solo performance tour "RE_PRAY" from 2023 to 2024, Hanyu himself became the protagonist of a role-playing game, blending skating performances and videos to express a world of opposites, such as success and failure, life and death, light and darkness, and game-over and continue. This unprecedented ice show struck a universal chord with audiences from all walks of life, touching their hearts. What’s next for Hanyu, who always exceeds the expectations of his fans?

“I can’t reveal the details... but I’m constantly thinking about new songs and programs. I said earlier that I haven't changed, but since I became a professional, the way I spend my time has obviously changed, and I don't have time to just sit idle anymore. This year I turn 30, and every day I reflect deeply on what I’ve worked hard for nearly 30 years and the meaning of my existence now.”

 

After the interview, we returned to the studio for the rest of the shoot, where we could hear Matsutoya Yumi's "Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara" playing in the background. "Open the curtains..." Perhaps now is the time to open windows in various directions and take in new input in anticipation of the next step. I tell myself that everything I see is a message.