The 25th “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 five 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 designers selected in the initial round and the judges. For this group exhibition, each finalist is allocated one wall on which to show his or her works.
Live streaming of the final round of judging will take place while the exhibition is in progress. During this round, which is open to the public, the five finalists will give presentations of their works, and the judges will then discuss the relative merits of the five contenders’ works and select the Grand Prize winner. The winner’s prize is the privilege of holding a solo show at the gallery one year later, plus 300,000 yen to prepare for the show.
The twenty-fifth in this series of group exhibitions will feature five young photographers. Shuichiro Abe uses the backdrop of his family home, which is about to be razed and rebuilt, to visually express his protest against that loss of space and its fading from memory. Hinata Okazaki shoots photos of the culture and appearance of her native village in Wakayama, as her pursuit for the way the world was meant to be. Yoshiki Ogino uses interviews and photographs to explore the relationship between worship of Mountain Gods and the landscapes of where she lives in Mie Prefecture. Zan Jiaqi captures scenes imbued with the contradictions of the city and the desert, scenes resulting from rapid economic development in northwestern China, where he hails from. Eiri Motoyoshi focuses on sensual wavering with society, recording self-portraits that reveal aspects of the finer points of everyday life.
This will be the final exhibition in the “1_WALL” series launched in 2009. We sincerely hope many visitors will come to bid the event a fond farewell.
Shuichiro Abe
Born in 1996. Completed a Masters Degree at The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies.
“Hear the Place Sings”
Something is about to be lost. But exactly what? This work, which I shot at my family home scheduled to be razed and rebuilt, is my protest against the impending spatial loss and its accompanying fading from memory.
Hinata Okazaki
Born in 2002. Currently enrolled in the Department of Photography and Communication (Photography Expression Course) at Japan Institute of Photography and Film.
“Shimmer on Water”
With ongoing modernization, something familiar to us is about to disappear. As Japanese, I think we need to reconsider the things inside us that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Yoshiki Ogino
Born in 1987.
“Searching for Yellow Sand”
After coming down from the mountain, where does the Mountain God dwell? I ask this question and photograph in places where Mountain Gods are worshiped, to explore the relationship between faith and landscapes.
Zan Jiaqi
Born in 1995. Currently majoring in Design at Tokyo Zokei University Graduate School.
“Desert City”
With rapid economic development in northwestern China, people were forced to relocate from farming villages to new urban centers. The semidesert landscapes on the periphery of the new cities are scenes imbued with the contradictions of contemporary society.
Eiri Motoyoshi
Born in 1986. Graduate of Nippon Sport Science University.
“is becoming”
The aimless days which, even if noticed, we can go swiftly past, are chosen willfully, by me and by them, one after another, their accumulation still to come.
Born in 1996. Completed a Masters Degree at The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Interdiscipli...
Born in 2002.
Currently enrolled in the Department of Photography and Communication (Photography Exp...
Born in 1995. Currently majoring in Design at Tokyo Zokei University Graduate School.
Judges (in Japanese syllabary order)
Masashi Kohara（Curator）
As a curator at the Izu Photo Museum, he has organized exhibitions including “Nobuyoshi Araki Photobook Exhibition: Ararchy,” “Manabu Miyazaki: The Pencil of Nature” and “Tazuko Masuyama: Until Everything Becomes a Photograph.” He also curated “It’s a Small World: Imperial Festivals and Human Exhibitions.” He directed the documentary film “The Man Who Became a Camera: Photographer Takuma Nakahira,” and is recipient of the Koen Shigemori Photography Critic Award and The Photographic Society of Japan’s Scholastic Achievement Award, among others. He is an Associate Professor at Tokyo Polytechnic University and a Part-time lecturer at Kanagawa University and others.
Yuri Suyama（Designer）
Born in 1983. His major works include Elein’s Diary (Elein Fleiss), La plaque sensible (Risaku Suzuki), And a Pinch of Irony with a Hint of Love (Yurie Nagashima) and The Absence of Mark Manders (Mark Manders).
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.
Nao Tsuda（Photographer）
Born in Kobe in 1976. Traveling the globe, through his camera lens he continuously depicts the ongoing relationship between man and nature tracing back to ancient times. Since 2001 the focus of his work has been numerous exhibitions both in Japan and abroad. His photo collections include SMOKE LINE (AKAAKA), Storm Last Night (AKAAKA) and Elnias Forest (handpicked). He currently serves as a Visiting Professor at Osaka University of Arts.
Rika Noguchi（Photographer）
Born in 1971 in Saitama City, currently living in Naha, Okinawa. In 1994 she graduated from Nihon University’s College of Art, Department of Photography. She began production of photographic works during he university years, and has been active both in Japan and abroad mainly with exhibitions of her works. She has also participated in numerous international exhibitions of contemporary art, most recently the 21st Biennale of Sydney, “SUPERPOSITION: Equilibrium & Engagement” (2018).
Organizer: Guardian Garden
