Introduction
Over the past decade, Simon Fujiwara has become known for his staging of large, complex exhibitions that explore the deeply rooted mechanisms of identity construction for both individuals and societies. From August 31 2019 his thought-provoking work Joanne is on view for the first time in Denmark at ARKEN Museum of Modern Art.
Presented as film and image environment, Joanne depicts the many faces of Joanne Salley, Simon Fujiwara’s former secondary school teacher. Winner of the 1998 Miss Northern Ireland beauty pageant, artist, teacher and champion boxer, Joanne Salley had a formative influence on Fujiwara as a scholarship student at the prestigious Harrow School for boys in Britain. Several years later, she became the victim of a tabloid newspaper scandal after students discovered and circulated topless photographs of her that had been taken privately. The ongoing media campaign that followed destroyed her career and public image.
In 2016, Fujiwara and Salley embarked on the production of a short film that aimed, through the use of advertising and marketing techniques, to restore her image.