A woman sent me a nude photo of herself one day. Since then, it's been the wallpaper on my desktop. It's not porn, but your dirty mind is already thinking. It was a composed arty shot. Lilia Kawakami is the only Asian Brazilian I've met, and she happens to be an up and coming artist in Sao Paulo. GR: Tell me about you and aliens? LK: They are good friends of mine. They came to me in the first time few years ago. I was sleeping and suddenly I felt bright lights around me. When I opened my eyes, I saw strange creatures inside my room. I got scared and they said "don't be afraid." But with no words, it was a kind of telepathic message. These aliens I know are very funny, because they are capable to transform their appearances according the people's humor they are visiting. That's really interesting.

GR: Why are South Americans always seeing space ships? LK: Maybe we are in the epicenter of some kind of energy... I really don't know. But aren't you, North Americans, always seeing space ships too? GR: Is taking nude photos of yourself have anything to do with aliens? LK: Not exactly... GR: Do you ever get cold taking photographs of yourself? LK: No, never. GR: Does anyone ever watch? LK: No, when I take my pics I like a big silence around me. It's not a show. I like to concentrate when I shoot them. But sometimes I can't take the pictures alone, so I ask help of my friends. They don't watch. They just help adjusting the camera and things like that. GR: Why do you shoot nudes of yourself? LK: I don't know, probably because I'm trying to tell about identity, isolation, and communication between people. It can be about me, you, or everyone... When you're silent or on your own, thinking about your real feelings, this mood is like to be nude for me. GR: What have people said about the photographs? LK: Some of them like, others don't. GR: Have you ever sold any of them? LK: Yes, for a gallery and sometimes people wants to buy... GR: Do you ever shoot other photos as well? With you not as the object? LK: Oh yes, I'm not the subject of my photos all the time. I take pictures of landscapes too. But I like to shoot in experimental ways, messing them up and blurring the images. I have many weird pictures captured by snapshot cameras and overdated roll films. It's like an unreal world. GR: Why are you so skinny? LK: Haha, I don't know. Must be the genes or the metabolism, because I like to eat a lot!

*1 2