Dear Friends,
This is a short newsletter, to announce that the VoidTokyo collective is currently holding an exhibition in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. It opened on June 1 and will run through July 30. The exhibition is being hosted at the dual gallery spaces of Pro Photo Supply.
Included in the work I am showing is this photograph:
I took it outside of Tokyo’s Kanda station in April 2021. The pandemic was still surging and the streets were emptier than normal, but a few people were still going about their business. I was struck by the gesture of the man, pointing to his mask.
It was late morning and the sun was high and slightly behind me, illuminating the man’s face. Yet in the background a line of shadows protruded into the street, as if the sun was in the opposite direction. And those shadows lined up perfectly with the cross-cutting sidewalk.
I was sufficiently fascinated by the spot that I returned a few weeks later for my study, Kanda, 20 April 2021. Those photos were exhibited via projector on the streets of Tokyo later in the year—and hopefully also will be the subject of a future book. It is a series about time and process. This slightly earlier photo, however, stands as my perception of Tokyo during the pandemic.
I have included other favorite photos in the exhibition as well, and all the members of VoidTokyo are showing incredible work. If you are in Portland this summer, do drop in!
Until next month,
Joel