Starting March 22 (Wed) Guardian Garden will host the 16th “1_WALL” Photography Exhibition, part of an open competition for the right to mount a solo show at the gallery. The exhibition will feature works by six finalists after two rounds of judging: the first round focusing on all entrants’ portfolios, and the second round consisting of one-on-one discussions between the photographers selected in the initial round and the judges. In this group exhibition, each finalist is allocated one wall on which to show his or her works.
The final round of judging will take place on March 23 (Thu), i.e. while the exhibition is in progress. During this round, which is open to the public, the six finalists will give presentations about their works, and the judges will then discuss the relative merits of the six contenders’ works and select the Grand Prize winner. The winner’s prize includes the privilege of holding a solo show at the gallery one year later, 100,000 yen to prepare for the show, plus the right to prepare an exhibition pamphlet.
The sixteenth exhibition in this series brings together an eclectic array of young photographers. Naoki Abe works in monochrome, looking beyond the objects in the foreground and focusing on the depth and expanse created by light. Haruyuki Shirai gets his creative inspiration from an extinct tribe and puts together stories about unidentifiable people. Kenji Chiga has created a photographic documentary on the problem of the caste system and education-focused society in India. Daisuke Tomizawa points his camera at the things around him, as a way of keeping notes to lock them in his memory. Kohei Fujisawa, returning to his home town for the first time in five years, was surprised by its changes and took new photographs of it. Yao Yuan deals with the theme of spiritual and geographical boundaries: for example, loneliness and love, inside and outside, etc.
Naoki Abe
Born in 1983. Completed a Master’s Degree in Design at Tokyo Zokei University.
“Endpoint #3”
When I sense the presence of something invisible, like a wall, I photograph it. What does that wall, which to me seems to be a point of contact between the world and myself, indicate – a limit, or an endless boundary?
Haruyuki Shirai
Born in 1981.
“Invisible man”
An adventure tale about a story of invisibility, depicting a chance meeting with something unidentifiable.
Kenji Chiga
Born in 1982. Graduated from the Department of Electronics and Materials Physics, School of Engineering Science, of Osaka University.
“Bird, Night, and then”
About the issues of highly education-focused society and caste affecting a young boy living in India, suicide by young people, the choices they make when they lose hope and their dreams; about the possibility of continuing to live.
Daisuke Tomizawa
Born in 1993. Currently studying in the Department of Intermedia Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, of Tokyo University of the Arts.
“Andante”
What on earth is happening all around me? Photos, taken as keepsakes, give me hints about that, and excite me.
Kohei Fujisawa
Born in 1992.
“CLIMAX OITA USUKI”
They are just photos not reliant on the power of conception. From the moment I realized that, up until this very moment, I don’t know anymore what it is I want to photograph. Going back to my home town isn’t something I should do too often.
Yao Yuan
Born in 1988. Currently studying Visual Design at Kuwasawa Design School.
“SAKAIME”
In the middle of winter, summer steadfastly lurks. A dazzling dream runs endlessly on the horizon of contradiction.
Born in 1983. Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University Graduate School with a Master of Fine Arts in Ph...
Born in 1982, in Shiga Prefecture. Graduated from Osaka University. After graduation, he moved to To...
Daisuke Tomizawa
Born in 1993. Currently studying Intermedia Art at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Yao Yuan
Born in 1988. Currently studying Visual Design at Kuwasawa Design School.
Judges (in Japanese syllabary order)
Kotaro Iizawa（Photography Critic）
Born in Miyagi Prefecture in 1954. In 1984 he completed a PhD in Art at the University of Tsukuba. From 1990 to 1994 he served as editor-in-chief of the quarterly photography magazine “Deja-vu.” His recent publications include “Photobooks make the history!” (CMS) and “Archive of Contemporary Japanese Photography 2011-2013” (Seikyusha).
Atsuki Kikuchi（Graphic designer）
Born in Tokyo in 1974. He attended Musashino Art University, majoring in Sculpture. In 2000 he established Bluemark, and then in 2011 he founded his own design studio. His work areas include brand planning, logo design, signage planning, editorial design, etc., with a strong focus on art, fashion and architecture. He is also the principal of Book Peak, planners and publishers of art books.
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).
Sayaka Takahashi（Gallery Director of PGI）
Born in Chiba Prefecture. Studied Literature at Waseda University under Osamu Hiraki. In 1998, she participated as a volunteer at the Higashikawa International Photo Festival, and from 2003 through 2010 served as the festival’s on-site production leader and assistant director. Since the winter of 1998, she has been involved in work relating to photographic preservation and display at Photo Gallery International (PGI), where as Director she is in charge of exhibition planning and operation.
Arata Dodo（Photographer）
Born in Osaka in 1974, raised in Nara. In 1995 he won the “Konica Introducing New Generation Photographers” Grand Prix. In 1999 he published the photo book “Ways of Shanghai 1994-1999” (Mole Press). In 2000 he received the Photographic Society of Japan’s Newcomer’s Award; in 2004, the New York ADC Jury’s Special Award; and in 2009, the Japan Advertising Photographers’ Association Outstanding Advertising Award. In 2012 he published the photo book “TAIGAN” (AKAAKA Art Publishing Inc.) and received the 38th Kimura Ihei Award.
Organizer: Guardian Garden
