SEIICHI FURUYA, CHRISTINE GÖSSLER - FACE TO FACE

SEIICHI FURUYA, CHRISTINE GÖSSLER
Face to Face

Published by Chose Commune, 2020
Book size 20.5 x 25.5 cm
Pages 168 pages + 150 images
Hardcover
Language English and French
ISBN: 979-10-96383-19-1

“In 1973, Seiichi Furuya left Japan for Europe on board of the Trans-Siberian train. He arrived in Austria where he first settled in Vienna, before moving to Graz where he met Christine Gössler in 1978. From this day forward, he started photographing her, in the intimacy of their home in Graz but also during their travels abroad — to Germany , England, Italy…and Japan, their most distant destination. Christine studied art history and worked for the radio, making documentary programs. After the birth of their son in 1981, she became increasingly involved in the world of theater. As she was devoting herself to her acting lessons, she started to show signs of schizophrenia. Christine committed suicide in East Berlin in 1985.

Since Christine's disappearance, Furuya has never stopped revisiting his archive. This initiative was presented in a series of five books entitled Mémoires , published between 1989 and 2010. In 2018, Seiichi Furuya sorted all photos taken by Christine with a pocket camera and 35mm camera for the first time in chronological order. When processing this new found material, he noticed that Christine took a lot of portraits of him, at about the same time that he was photographing her. “It’s Face to Face ”, directed by the photographer. This new series is composed of 150 photographs, presented as pairs, taken over seven years — from the couple's encounter to Christine's death. Furuya considers this latest project to be the final act which will put an end to the Mémoires , the work of a lifetime.” -Publisher

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“ In 1973, Seiichi Furuya left Japan for Europe on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Arriving in Austria, he first settled in Vienna before moving to Graz, where he met Christine Gössler in 1978. He quickly began photographing her, in the privacy of their home in Graz but also during trips abroad — in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy… and Japan, their furthest destination. Christine studied art history before working as a documentary producer for radio. After the birth of their son in 1981, she immersed herself in the world of theater. While devoting herself to her theater classes, she began to show signs of schizophrenia. Christine committed suicide in East Berlin in 1985.

Since Christine’s passing, Furuya has continued to revisit her archive. This approach has taken the form of a series of five books entitled Mémoires, published between 1989 and 2010. In 2018, Seiichi Furuya found photographs taken by Christine with a small pocket camera and a 35mm, and sorted them chronologically for the first time. Studying his findings, he discovered with surprise that Christine also often took his portrait, in the same moments that he photographed her. “It’s Face to Face,” the photographer says. This new series is composed of 150 pairs of photographs taken over seven years — from their meeting to Christine’s death. Furuya considers this latest work as the final chapter that will close the Mémoires, a life’s work.” - Editor