JESS’ #FRIDAYFILM SERIES COMBINES HER LOVE OF LEARNING WITH ANALOGUE FILM PHOTOGRAPHS MADE WITH PLACES, LANDSCAPES AND PEOPLE. FIND A NEW SERIES MONTHLY ON HER INSTAGRAM PAGE @JESS.JPEGS_
1/3 Izakaya Abe Chang:
This series was made with my new friend Ate Abe (big sister) who runs the most authentic and tastiest Japanese sushi restaurant in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro called ‘Izakaya Abe Chang’.
Ate Abe trained under the expertise of Japanese sushi chefs for many years in Manila and it was there where she also learnt fluent Japanese in order to better understand them and improve her craft.
After working for over a decade in sushi restaurants in the capital, Ate Abe desired a less stressful and quieter life in Puerto Galera, where there is an abundance of beaches and forests for hiking.
Ate Abe converted part of her home into an izakaya, where the cosy and welcoming atmosphere has also been a home to global visitors from Korea, Japan, Russia and more. This can be represented in the world flags that surround her restaurant.
2/3 Izakaya Abe Chang:
An ‘izakaya’ is a casual and relaxed type of Japanese bar serving alcohol and snacks. Similar to Japan, in her restaurant people can traditionally dine on lower tables for a more comfortable and intimate dining experience, and guests can enjoy traditional sake if they wish to drink alcohol.
Ate Abe’s menu is plentiful and presented in picture form, like many izakayas. She serves a wide range of Japanese favourites such as tempuras, meat skewers, her special katsu curries and more.
Izakaya Abe Chang is situated in a small neighbourhood just a short 5 minute walk from Aninuan Beach in Puerto Galera. It is a popular late night spot for many divers who need to replenish themselves after an evening dive with the beautiful corals in the Verde Island Passage. Puerto Galera is only 3-4 hours away from Manila, and affectionately referred to as the “heart of Asia” with some of the greatest nature spots in the country both above and below the sea level.
3/3 Izakaya Abe Chang:
Surrounding the izakaya, Ate Abe has a thriving garden full of flowers, as well as vegetables that she is able to use in her cooking. She is particularly proud of her chilli plants, which add an extra kick of spice when needed in her curried dishes.
I felt very lucky to meet Ate Abe and it’s easy to see why she is so well known and admired in Puerto Galera. Each year, she gives monetary donations and clothing to the Mangyan tribes who are indigenous to the island of Mindoro, as well as organising charitable endeavours to support the local community. Whilst Puerto Galera may not be on most tourist’s radar when it comes to travelling the Philippines, the infectious hospitality in the restaurants I’ve experienced here is unmatched.
This series was made with my new friend Ate Abe (big sister) who runs the most authentic and tastiest Japanese sushi restaurant in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro called ‘Izakaya Abe Chang’.
Ate Abe trained under the expertise of Japanese sushi chefs for many years in Manila and it was there where she also learnt fluent Japanese in order to better understand them and improve her craft.
After working for over a decade in sushi restaurants in the capital, Ate Abe desired a less stressful and quieter life in Puerto Galera, where there is an abundance of beaches and forests for hiking.
Ate Abe converted part of her home into an izakaya, where the cosy and welcoming atmosphere has also been a home to global visitors from Korea, Japan, Russia and more. This can be represented in the world flags that surround her restaurant.
An ‘izakaya’ is a casual and relaxed type of Japanese bar serving alcohol and snacks. Similar to Japan, in her restaurant people can traditionally dine on lower tables for a more comfortable and intimate dining experience, and guests can enjoy traditional sake if they wish to drink alcohol.
Ate Abe’s menu is plentiful and presented in picture form, like many izakayas. She serves a wide range of Japanese favourites such as tempuras, meat skewers, her special katsu curries and more.
Izakaya Abe Chang is situated in a small neighbourhood just a short 5 minute walk from Aninuan Beach in Puerto Galera. It is a popular late night spot for many divers who need to replenish themselves after an evening dive with the beautiful corals in the Verde Island Passage. Puerto Galera is only 3-4 hours away from Manila, and affectionately referred to as the “heart of Asia” with some of the greatest nature spots in the country both above and below the sea level.
Surrounding the izakaya, Ate Abe has a thriving garden full of flowers, as well as vegetables that she is able to use in her cooking. She is particularly proud of her chilli plants, which add an extra kick of spice when needed in her curried dishes.
I felt very lucky to meet Ate Abe and it’s easy to see why she is so well known and admired in Puerto Galera. Each year, she gives monetary donations and clothing to the Mangyan tribes who are indigenous to the island of Mindoro, as well as organising charitable endeavours to support the local community. Whilst Puerto Galera may not be on most tourist’s radar when it comes to travelling the Philippines, the infectious hospitality in the restaurants I’ve experienced here is unmatched.
1/3 Alcatraz Island aka ‘The Rock’ Series:
Alcatraz Prison has been the site of Natica American resistance to colonialism. From 1887, the U.S attempted to “civilise” the Native American populations through Christian Boarding Schools. Unsurprisingly, these schools were situated very far from the Indian reservations, in order to break tribe cohesion and seperate children from their families. The motto of many of these schools was “kill the Indians and save the man.” This was part of a U.S Government Policy called ‘Manifest Destiny’ which forced the children to assimilate to “American” culture by banning their traditional customs and celebrations.
Alcatraz Prison has been the site of Natica American resistance to colonialism. From 1887, the U.S attempted to “civilise” the Native American populations through Christian Boarding Schools. Unsurprisingly, these schools were situated very far from the Indian reservations, in order to break tribe cohesion and seperate children from their families. The motto of many of these schools was “kill the Indians and save the man.” This was part of a U.S Government Policy called ‘Manifest Destiny’ which forced the children to assimilate to “American” culture by banning their traditional customs and celebrations.
2/3 Alcatraz Island aka ‘The Rock’ Series:
The Hopi people were fiercely opposed to this and refused to send their children to learn the “white man’s ways.” Therefore in December 1890, U.S soldiers enetered Orayvi and rounded up 104 children and forced them to attend the Christian boarding school, troops were also sent to arrest and confine village leaders that didn’t comply. For their survival, some eventually relented and obeyed, these people were labelled by the U.S State as “Friendlies.” This led to major land disputes between the “Friendlies” and the “Hostiles” and the U.S employed their divide and conquer tactics causing dissent amongst the two factions. The U.S advocated for the protection of the “Friendlies” and the “Hostiles” were forbidden to harvest crops from their fields. Any foul play would have led to the forcible arrest and shipping of those causing disorder to Alcatraz. Only 2km away from San Francisco Marina, it was far enough to isolate, punish and ostracise those who defied the U.S State.
The Hopi people were fiercely opposed to this and refused to send their children to learn the “white man’s ways.” Therefore in December 1890, U.S soldiers enetered Orayvi and rounded up 104 children and forced them to attend the Christian boarding school, troops were also sent to arrest and confine village leaders that didn’t comply. For their survival, some eventually relented and obeyed, these people were labelled by the U.S State as “Friendlies.” This led to major land disputes between the “Friendlies” and the “Hostiles” and the U.S employed their divide and conquer tactics causing dissent amongst the two factions. The U.S advocated for the protection of the “Friendlies” and the “Hostiles” were forbidden to harvest crops from their fields. Any foul play would have led to the forcible arrest and shipping of those causing disorder to Alcatraz. Only 2km away from San Francisco Marina, it was far enough to isolate, punish and ostracise those who defied the U.S State.
3/3 Alcatraz Island aka ‘The Rock’ Series:
Grafitti says: “home of the free, welcome Indian land.”
The largest single group of Hopi Indians were banished to Alcatraz in January 1885. ‘The San Francisco Call’ published the arrest of the 19 men with the headline, “A Batch of Apaches.” This created the racial stereotype of Native Americas as being dangerous criminals. Their malevolent depiction in the media served to cause fear and panic towards them in the U.S imagination, as well as justify their banishment.
Since 1964, there have been numerous occupations of the land by Native Americans who have claimed it as Indian land.
Grafitti says: “home of the free, welcome Indian land.”
The largest single group of Hopi Indians were banished to Alcatraz in January 1885. ‘The San Francisco Call’ published the arrest of the 19 men with the headline, “A Batch of Apaches.” This created the racial stereotype of Native Americas as being dangerous criminals. Their malevolent depiction in the media served to cause fear and panic towards them in the U.S imagination, as well as justify their banishment.
Since 1964, there have been numerous occupations of the land by Native Americans who have claimed it as Indian land.
I made these series of photos with Jose at Cow Hollow Laundromat. During my 10-day trip to San Francisco, I realised I underpacked for colder temperatures and needed to wash my clothes. Luckily, laundromats are found on every other corner in SF; there are 148 washing facilities in total, within the tiny 7x7 mile squared city.
Homes in SF that were built before 1940 are too small for the electrical infrastructure required to accomodate their own in-home washer-dryer units. Therefore many SF residents frequent coin operated laundromats on a weekly basis, as many establishments provide desks and free WiFi. People see this is a useful way to either be productive for an hour (by grabbing coffee and doing some work whilst they wait). Or people like to slow down, unwind and read a book or magazine, whilst the hum of the machines lulls them into a daydream.
I met Jose who was working there and we got to chatting about our lives, where we’re “really” from, our thoughts on San Francisco and our mutual interest for Spurs (he’s Brazilian so a Richarlison fan).
Covid, gentrification, plus rising rent and utility bills have impacted the closure of laundromats across San Francisco. 31 businesses shut during the height of the pandemic and 1 in 3 laundromats have closed down between 2011-21.
Half of the city’s housing was built before 1940, therefore they do not possess in-house laundry facilities. These homes are situated in high-densely populated areas where citizens also earn lower wages. Due the gentrification of the city, which has driven the amount of renters up, property developers and landlords have had to relent and equip homes with laundry facilities.
Of course, this disproportionately affects those people who need laundromats close by in walking distance. The rise of the middle class wealth in SF has increased living expenses, which also means that the working class have to pay even more just to wash a load of laundry. In total I spent $9 to wash and dry one small load of my clothes, which feels quite pricey considering most people and families would need to do a few washes a week. So if you’re ever going to San Francisco, pack light and visit your local laundromat to help keep these small businesses alive.
As you can see from the dryers behind Jose, some laundromats have managed to keep up fairly well with technological advancements and the shift to cashless payments. You are able to pay to use the machines either by feeding it quarters, or by using an App on your phone.
This laundromat is able to maintain its retro analog quirks, such as the dollar bill to coin machine and push to vend Tide Laundry detergent dispenser. Overall this laundromat is a cool balance of the old and the new and it had evertyhing you needed to happily pass time for an hour.
This series was shot with the Kiro 400 ‘Film Never Die’ film from TPG Lab; the grainy and desaturated colour definitely gives the portrait a slightly more aged feel which suits the setting perfectly.
1/3 The San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden Series:
I made this series at the Japanese Tea Garden, situated within the famous Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
The garden was created by an Australian named George Turner Marsh. As a young boy, he was sent to Hapan and he felt awe towards the beautiful gardens he encounterd in his childhood. Marsh then aimed to replicate this in San Francisco with the help of Japanese labourers to oversee the construction and maintenance of the garden.
The aim of the Japanese Garden was for it to be exhibited during the World Fair of 1894 annd it was a tremendous success. The purpose of this exposition was not just for the U.S to show off their colonial exploits, but to boost financial investment into the West Coast City. After the fair ended, all the other villages including the “Indian Village”, “Eskimo Village” and “African Village” were disassembled, but the fan favourite Japanese Village was so beloved that the city was compelled to keep it. After a brief closure, in 1895 the garden was taken over by Makoto Harigawa, a Japanese landscape architect and the namesake of the street where the garden resides.
In this photograph, we still see how the pristine beauty of the garden is preserved in a careful and meticulous way by its caretakers.
I made this series at the Japanese Tea Garden, situated within the famous Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
The garden was created by an Australian named George Turner Marsh. As a young boy, he was sent to Hapan and he felt awe towards the beautiful gardens he encounterd in his childhood. Marsh then aimed to replicate this in San Francisco with the help of Japanese labourers to oversee the construction and maintenance of the garden.
The aim of the Japanese Garden was for it to be exhibited during the World Fair of 1894 annd it was a tremendous success. The purpose of this exposition was not just for the U.S to show off their colonial exploits, but to boost financial investment into the West Coast City. After the fair ended, all the other villages including the “Indian Village”, “Eskimo Village” and “African Village” were disassembled, but the fan favourite Japanese Village was so beloved that the city was compelled to keep it. After a brief closure, in 1895 the garden was taken over by Makoto Harigawa, a Japanese landscape architect and the namesake of the street where the garden resides.
In this photograph, we still see how the pristine beauty of the garden is preserved in a careful and meticulous way by its caretakers.
2/3 The San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden Series:
Under the careful cultivation of Harigawa, he tripled the size of the garden and imported flora, fauna, koi fish and birds to ensure the garden looked more authentic to ones in Japan. Eventually him and his family made their permanent home in the garden and he hired many Japanese gardeners to tend the land.
Sadly, he passed away in 1925 and transferred the ownership and management to his daughter.
However, in 1942 at the start of WW2, the entire Harigawa family were evicteed from their home and sent to Japanese internment camps. Due to the growing Anti-Japanese sentiment that reached its peak during the bombing of Pearl Harbour, all of the Shinto Buddhist iconography in the garden was destroyed. The hostility faced by the Japanese due to racist discrimination meant that they were no longer allowed to own property or work. The Harigawa family were barred from entering their home and their efforts erased.
All previous Japanese workers in the garden were forcibly replaced with Chinese women dressed in kimonos. The name of the Japanese Tea Garden was also replaced and renamed ‘The Oriental Tea Garden.’
Under the careful cultivation of Harigawa, he tripled the size of the garden and imported flora, fauna, koi fish and birds to ensure the garden looked more authentic to ones in Japan. Eventually him and his family made their permanent home in the garden and he hired many Japanese gardeners to tend the land.
Sadly, he passed away in 1925 and transferred the ownership and management to his daughter.
However, in 1942 at the start of WW2, the entire Harigawa family were evicteed from their home and sent to Japanese internment camps. Due to the growing Anti-Japanese sentiment that reached its peak during the bombing of Pearl Harbour, all of the Shinto Buddhist iconography in the garden was destroyed. The hostility faced by the Japanese due to racist discrimination meant that they were no longer allowed to own property or work. The Harigawa family were barred from entering their home and their efforts erased.
All previous Japanese workers in the garden were forcibly replaced with Chinese women dressed in kimonos. The name of the Japanese Tea Garden was also replaced and renamed ‘The Oriental Tea Garden.’
3/3 The San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden Series:
Despite the discrimination and ostracisation faced by the Japanese community in America, the influence of Japanese culture has permeated through the city of San Francisco, where they have their own ‘Japan Town.’ Following the forced internment of Japanese migrants in 1943, this particular neighbourhood was mostly vacant and quickly filled by thousands of migrants who fled the South in order to find wartime industrial jobs on the West Coast.
At the centre of Japan town on Post Street stands the ‘Peace Pagoda,’ a Buddhist stupa to inspire peace and promote unity amongst all people despite which religion they choose to follow.
As the Japense returned to San Francisco following the end of the war, the city became paired with Osaka as their “sister city” in 1967. The ‘Peace Pagoda’ was built by Modernist architect Yushiro Taniguchi and was gifted by the people of Osaka to stand as a symbol of Japanese-American friendship.
Despite the discrimination and ostracisation faced by the Japanese community in America, the influence of Japanese culture has permeated through the city of San Francisco, where they have their own ‘Japan Town.’ Following the forced internment of Japanese migrants in 1943, this particular neighbourhood was mostly vacant and quickly filled by thousands of migrants who fled the South in order to find wartime industrial jobs on the West Coast.
At the centre of Japan town on Post Street stands the ‘Peace Pagoda,’ a Buddhist stupa to inspire peace and promote unity amongst all people despite which religion they choose to follow.
As the Japense returned to San Francisco following the end of the war, the city became paired with Osaka as their “sister city” in 1967. The ‘Peace Pagoda’ was built by Modernist architect Yushiro Taniguchi and was gifted by the people of Osaka to stand as a symbol of Japanese-American friendship.