Tag Archive for Abdullah Taqy

Green Man Tattoo 2 – Spring

So my second of 4 planned Green Man tattoos is finally done!
Above is a timelapse of all of the sessions that it took to finish it.

Music
DIYS – EneSparks
used under a CC licence
soundcloud.com/diysmusic/enesparks-dubstep

From a series drawn by my father (John Storey – link and the doc I made about him link) I now have a large Winter Green man on my back and Spring Green man on my left forearm.
Super happy with my great tattoo artist Abdullah Taqy’s work on both of them! Can’t wait to start summer on my chest :)

The Only Native Japanese Imam In Tokyo – VICE Japan

I am pleased to present my latest documentary, this time shot for the relaunching VICE Japan.
Abdullah Taqy – The ONLY native Japanese Imam in Tokyo.

Some of you may have seen the photo film I did on Abdullah a few years ago but for this piece I worked with the wonderful Erina Suto, my favorite assistant Producer/Editor who did the interviews (and was invaluable in the editing process) which means that Abdullah speaks far more fluently about his faith and ideas than he did when he was speaking to me before.

Enjoy.

And welcome back VICE Japan!

Four and a half hours in twenty three seconds – A tattoo timelapse

As an early birthday present to myself I got a new tattoo to add to my growing collection.

This one is special for a couple of reasons:-
The birthday it marks is one of those “big” ones that frankly is disturbing the hell out of me, I know it’s just a number but the less said about it the better.
It is a buddhist quote because my involvement with Buddhism which began over 10 years ago was like taking the red pill – once I’d heard the words I knew nothing would ever be the same again.
It’s in (a stylized version of) Hindi to celebrate the years I have spent in Mother India the country that after all my wandering is still easily my favorite country in the world and feels on some deep level more like home than anywhere.
Unlike all my other tattoos it’s in a place where everyone will see it which is my way of finally saying, screaming “fuck you” to everyone who has ever judged me by the way I look.

So, in celebration and to mark the event of getting it a short timelapse compressing the 4 1/2 hours it took into 23 seconds.

Oh and the meaning?
“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger”

The hilarity of which will not escape anyone who knows me.

Huge thanks as always to Abdullah Taqy, my tattooist and dear friend.

Big thanks also to Billy Gomez for the music “Act 1”
soundcloud.com/mindtouchbeats

1 in 13 million – The only native Japanese Imam in Tokyo (UPDATED)


*Updated with NEW film documentary for VICE Japan – see end of post*

Population of Japan – 127,000,000
Population of Tokyo – 13,000,000
No. of Muslims in Japan (estimate) – 100,000
No. of Japanese Muslims (estimate) – 10,000
No. who converted to Islam NOT for marriage(estimate) – 2 or 300
No. of Japanese Imam’s in Japan – 5
No. of Japanese Imam’s in Tokyo – 1

Abdullah Taqy is the only Japanese Imam in Tokyo.

A chance meeting with a foreign Muslim 12 years ago in Tokyo’s Shibuya district and a life spent studying various religions led him to convert to Islam 3½ years ago.
He completed the Hajj, the worlds largest annual religious pilgrimage, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia 2½ years ago at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian government.
Shortly after, a meeting with the man who started him down his path to Islam 12 years previously led him to becoming the Imam at a small mosque in the Kabukicho area of Tokyo.

His day job for the past 20 years has been as a tattooist and body piercer.

He is soft-spoken and exudes a calmness and friendliness that one cannot help being affected by.

He is truly, 1 in 13 million.

Photography, Audio & Editing – Uchujin/Adrian Storey

I am very pleased to announce that some of the photographs from this photofilm and the photofilm itself are available for licencing through Redux Pictures – HERE

_________________________________________________________

This project is the culmination of several months of work and religious freedom is a topic I personally feel very strongly about.
The news last year of the Tokyo Police’s leaking of data on to the internet about Muslim residents (Japantimes link) and Abdullah’s own questioning by the Police because of his religion highlight that Muslims all over the world face persecution and prejudice.
Part of my intention in making this photofilm/documentary was to highlight the absurdity of these prejudices.

_________________________________________________________

*UPDATE December 2012*

I am pleased to add my new short film documentary about Abdullah, shot in Novemeber 2012 for VICE Japan almost 2 years after the original film was made.
I hope you enjoy it!!!