Prints

I have been going to dark room a lot lately to make prints for my exhibition. It is so hard work to make silver- gelatin prints in traditional way. But I am quite happy with the result I get with help of great masters in DR.

I like contrast and darkness in photo.

Then, I am also happy that these photos are basically never filtered through digital medium, these are completely just chemical reaction on paper.

Seeing these images in computer screen don’t quite do them justice. Please come and see them in person next month.

Fragrant tree – my 7th exhibition

I am planning to hold a small photo exhibition in a cafe in Yokohama in November. It has been so long time since I hold one. And then I got a treasure chest full of images. This is my 7th private exhibition in Japan. Then, the images I will display will be all new.

The title of my exhibition is “金木犀” , a fragrant osmanthus in Japan. I love that scent, which is like woman’s shampoo. Then, photos in my exhibition are women. Women who feel the changing season. That faint and quickly disappearing scent of a familiar tree. I think that’s what photo means to me. We only have now.

I like the fact that the cafe is small and kind of hidden. I lack the energy and passion to hold exhibition that would be a big thing with a party and such involved. I don’t want any attention. All I want for now is to put my images up for some strangers to see.

Debriefing

You know sometimes things just fall in place naturally, you feel like you are auto-completing a puzzle; pieces just fit automatically and it’s a smooth ride from the start.

Well, making Maria was not one of those times. I had to cancel my exhibition once actually since my boy got a virus from his kindergarden. I had to give up months of work, just bite the bullet, and let it all vanish. I had just rented the frames, packed my works and shipped them to the gallery, then I got a call from my wife; “it’s a virus”. I knew it; to give up is the only way, abort mission, call the birds back, you know.

To my surprise, the gallery actually offered me four days from the following week, very kind of them. So I took the chance, although quite frankly, I was not in excellent mood.

The difficulties did not stop here however. In the following week while I was taking care of my feverish son, I caught a fever. 40C. I could barely get up on my feet. I knew if I let this chance pass, rest of the year for Maria is out of the question.

But I managed to make it on Sunday and with help of two important friends I could start the exhibition. Maria became a reality.

I learned something very important. It’s good to give up if you do it for the right reasons.

You have to be able to do it, because it’s never that serious or important. Sometimes it’s not just the right time; but then you also find out that the opportunity will come again. Like, when you receive gift from someone, it’s actually kind of really humbling, because all you can say is thanks. Thank you. What big and numerous gifts I received this time, not only beautiful flowers and cookies, but spiritually as well! Indeed, I want to say most humbly, “thank you”.

It’s always hard to do something like this but it really is worth of it, because of all the wonderful people who come to see my photos. It seems like Saint Maria was calling for them.. and then they wrote me these beautiful letters that made me cry.

It’s all big fun to start something and then finish it, plus, it’s great excuse to hang out with some really cool folks!

Exhibition schedule

I am sorry for the mistaken schedule in the flyer of my exhibition Maria.

The correct opening hours of my exhibition are following:

SUN (7日) 12:00 ~ 17:00
MON (8日) 9:30 ~ 17:00
TUE (9日) 9:30 ~ 17:00
WED (10日) 9:30 ~ 17:00
THU (11日) 9:30 ~ 15:00

 

Nobuto Fukutsu's Exhibition

I had chance to meet my friend Nobuto Fukutsu today, again, after many years. It could be said that today I met him for first time, through his work.

His work is lyrical expression, but also free and artistically pure. His floral pattern and soft colour make stark contrast with the striking expression of the women, and (inevitable!) atomic explosion! I love this disguise, indeed, Fukutsu is an artist of great magnitude.

Regarding Beauty

“Beauty” for me is something sacred, like something untouchable and something that isn’t from this world. It is just there for a very short time and it will disappear, like a beautiful ghost.

It’s so, very fragile and light. It is not meant to be touched, and it is not meant to be stared.  It is too pure for human hands to touch.

When I shoot,I’m just standing in this huge crystal clear river and I’m crying. For that moment it’s my world.