Towards the end of Chapter Two of Fireworks and Other Illuminations, I sent William McGrath to Las Vegas. He is there for the private-investors event inaugurating the opening of a luxurious Japanese-themed casino hotel. I imagined it on the Strip out my love for Japan and its culture—echoing Regina's trip in Chapter One. But also, because back during the aughts Vegas was a very important destination for me… Continue Reading -->
It was always Regina’s plan during her trip to Kyoto to spend some time in the narrow wooden streets of Gion. There, she finds herself drawn to the tiniest antiques shop on Shinmonzen-dori, where she discovers a collection of netsuke that will stay with her for a lifetime... Watch Now
In the hush of libraries and art galleries, in front of screens and stages - a quiet heist unfolds daily... Artists lift from artists, writers borrow from writers, and everyone insists it's an homage. It's not easy to draw a line between inspiration and theft, between respectful tribute and outright poaching. And it doesn't matter... Continue Reading →
In this scene from Fireworks and Other Illuminations, Regina finds herself in a Kyoto antique shop, captivated by an erotic netsuke—a carved ivory sculpture no larger than a thumb—of a bound geisha. As she holds it, an imagined story unfurls in her mind, merging art, desire, and violence. This is Regina's private tale - one... Continue Reading →
