William Eggleston is not one to think too much about theory. While you might anguish over the "mediated nature of photography," he'll be out taking pictures. When establishing my lack of bona fides during our interview at the Hara Museum in Tokyo last week by admitting a scarcity of knowledge about contemporary art, Eggleston happily replied, "I don't know anything about contemporary art either."
Characteristically cagey about discussing what his well-composed photographs mean, we casually talked about inspirations, the mid-20th century New York art scene and digital photography. After which he invited me to join him for a whiskey.
You have been to Tokyo many times; have you taken photos here?