The 3rd “1_WALL” Photography Exhibition is part of an open competition for the right to mount a solo show at Guardian Garden. The exhibition will feature works by the six finalists after two rounds of judging: the first round focused on all entrants’ portfolios, and the second round evaluated the portfolio presentations of the photographers selected in the initial round. The final round of judging will take place on October 1 (Fri), i.e. while the exhibition is in progress. During this round, which is open to the public, the six finalists will give presentations of their works, based on which the judges will select the Grand Prize winner. The winner’s prize is the privilege of mounting a solo show at the gallery one year later plus the right to prepare an exhibition pamphlet.
The “1_WALL” series was started in 2009 to supersede the earlier “Hitotsubo” exhibitions. Through three rounds of judging, the entrants in this open competition are evaluated for their creative talent and potential. The competition, by entailing multiple rounds of judging, tests the entrants’ level of commitment as artists.
The six finalists in the 3rd “1_WALL” Photography Exhibition will be showing works reflecting their unique creative approaches to photography. We hope many visitors will come to see who among them will be the lucky Grand Prize winner.
The 6 Finalists
*At the open round of final judging on October 1, Mizuki Kin was selected as the Grand Prix winner.
Yuko Amano
Born in 1985. MA in Photography, Musashino Art University, Tokyo. BA in Imaging Art and Sciences, Mustashino Art University, Tokyo.
“around a pond”
This isn’t a special place but it has everything: tadpoles fly through the air, insects become birds. When the sky is reflected in water, another sky forms in our memory. I think it’s all the same.
Michiko Ishikawa
Born in 1986.
“A”
What happened in only 5 minutes stayed inside me as “something” big. Against my will, it multiplies inside me. Now, I thought, I have to confront it.
Tetsuro Ito
Born in 1981. Graduated from Musashino Art University.
“My Suburb”
A photograph showing some minor occurrence triggers a rethink of an everyday scene. From that perspective I want to shoot works that reexamine the suburb where I’ve lived so long.
Yuzo Kanzaki
Born in 1984. Graduated from Ritsumeikan University, College of Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
“ive”
Let light shine in darkness. Light chases feelings; darkness erases emotions and prejudice. Still, it’s nice just having noise echo in one’s ears and purity flowing.
＊Grand Prize Winner＊
Mizuki Kin
Born in 1987. Graduated from Tama Art University, Department of Information Design. Currently in the graduate course at Tokyo University of the Arts.
“Lights”
I created this work taking people’s rooms as “boxes for seeing light,” capturing the time we feel a precious existence born from light within the uneventful everyday passage of time, to set it firmly in place as something eternal.
Koji Yamano
Born in 1982. Graduated from Nippon Photography Institute.
“Rules”
These are repetitive stacks of plastic bottle caps. Toward what at a glance is meaningless, everyone thinks differently.
Born in 1985. Photographer. MA in Photography, Musashino Art University, Tokyo. BA in Imaging Art an...
Born in 1986. Completed the graduate course in Photography at Musashino Art University.
Major exhibi...
Tetsuro Ito
Born in 1981. Graduated from Musashino Art University.
Yuzo Kanzaki
Born in 1984. Graduated from Ritsumeikan University, College of Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Mizuki Kin
Born in Tokyo in 1987. Graduated from Tama Art University, Department of Information Design, in 2010. Currently in the graduate course at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Koji Yamano
Born in 1982. Graduated from Nippon Photography Institute. Joined Daikanyama Studio. Currently studying under Hiroshi Manaka.
Judges (in Japanese syllabary order)
Osamu Kanemura（Photographer）
Born in Tokyo in 1964. In 1992, while studying at Tokyo College of Photography, invited to participate in “The 3rd Fotografie Biennale: Waste Land from Now on” in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In 1997, received a New Photographer Prize from the Photographic Society of Japan and also at the 13th Higashikawa International Photography Festival. In 2000, received the 19th Ken Domon Prize. His numerous publications include the photo collections Spider’s Strategy, In-between 12 Osamu Kanemura: Germany, Finland and German Suplex.
Risaku Suzuki（Photographer）
Born in Shingu, Wakayama, in 1963. In 2000 he received the 25th Kimura Ihei Award in Photography for “PILES OF TIME.” His recent publications include “Water Mirror” (Case Publishing / Fine-Art Photography Association), “SAKURA” (edition nord), “Étude” (SUPER LABO), “Between the Sea and the Mountain – Kumano ” (amanasalto), “Ishiki no nagare” [Stream of Consciousness] (edition nord) and “Atelier of Cézanne” (Nazraeli Press).
Manabu Torihara（Researcher of photography）
Satoshi Machiguchi（Art director, Publisher）
President of the design studio match and company, inc. In 2005 he launched “M,” a photo book label, and began operating “bookshop M,” a website selling photo books. Since 2008 he has continuously exhibited his works at “Paris Photo,” one of the world’s foremost photography festivals, just one example of how he demonstrates his unique approach to his art. He probes the possibilities of Japanese photo books from a global perspective.
Yuri Mitsuda（Art critic）
Graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of Letters. In 2007 one of her publications won a Scholastic Achievement Award from the Photographic Society of Japan. Other published works include Words and Things: Jiro Takamatsu’s issue with Japanese Art 1961-72 and Photographs by Yasuzo Nojima.
Organizer: Guardian Garden
