Dear Friends,
It was an unusual February in Tokyo. We had days when the temperature reached into the mid 20’s on the Celsius scale, weather for which a T-shirt is the only appropriate attire, a delight if not for the worries about what summer will bring. Already, some of the neighborhood’s cherry trees have begun to blossom.
But we also had days that were cold and rainy, too much rain for a city accustomed to sunny, dry winters. And even, surprising everyone, a day filled with snow, gloriously huge flakes blanketing the city, shutting down jobs and schools. On the night that it fell, many photographers rushed downtown, hoping to catch photos of busy streets and neon and snow. I stayed in my neighborhood, now even quieter than normal. In the process, I made my favorite photo of the year so far. It was taken in Moto Azabu, looking down the hill known as Ippon Matsu Zaka.
I only rarely make prints to sell—I prefer to reach people through books—but perhaps this particular one may feel special to some of you who live in this neighborhood, or who have lived here in the past. As such, I am offering framed copies of this photograph.
The print itself measures 18.6 cm x 27.9 cm, and is on museum quality Hahnemuhle Rag Baryta Paper. I am offering it matted and set in a black wooden frame, the frame measuring 28.8 x 37.8 cm. The price is 300 USD, which includes shipping anywhere in the world. Please contact me if interested or if you would like more information.
Also, in February, my collective, VoidTokyo, exhibited a new show, THE STREETS, at CP+. Given the demise of Photokina in Germany, CP+ is without a doubt the largest and most important photography trade show in the world.
Just how important are trade shows? Unlike when these shows were at their peak, information about new products now can be rapidly disseminated over the internet. And while new models may offer improved technical specifications, almost any camera made in the past 10 year is highly capable for any but the most specialized jobs. Very few of us need 40 megapixel files or the ability to shoot 120 frames per second. And yet, the show was packed. The vast majority of the show’s visitors were middle-aged men—but I’ll say more about that in a moment.
For this show, we made *big” prints—over a meter long. I’m generally not a fan of huge prints; I prefer that viewers step close and have an intimate experience, rather than forcing them to step back to take the photos in. Still, it was fun to see some of my work this large. And it was very enjoyable to talk to the many visitors who stopped by.
Not only were the latest cameras and lenses on display, the convention floor was filled with tripods, filters, bags, and all the rest. There were break dancers and fencers and BMX bikers as subjects to be tested with the latest lenses. Sigma brought a massive collection of classic photobooks that visitors could relax and look at. Kudos to them.
But along with everything that was bold, innovative and great, there was also in evidence one of the long-standing problems of Japanese photo culture. Lots of attractive young female models for men to photograph, women in short skirts passing out flyers, photo magazines proudly displaying cover girls.
When I talk to male Japanese photographers about this, they mostly shrug their shoulders and say, “it’s Japanese culture.” The female Japanese photographers I talk to tell me that they don’t like it. Almost every non-Japanese visitor that I talked to was somewhat shocked.
But the vendors were largely playing to the demographic of middle-aged Japanese men, the ones with disposable income who purchase the latest, most expensive gear as status objects. Is this kind of marketing necessary to keep their businesses afloat? For the past decade, camera sales have been in a steep decline. It seems to me that camera manufacturers need to expand the circle of those who are interested in photography, and creating a comfortable environment for everyone is part of how they can do it.
To their credit, the organizers of CP+ seem to recognize this, and there were, for example, family friendly workshops and photography opportunities that would not have existed in this past. I hope that the show will continue to evolve in the future.
While I was at CP+ I purchased a new book: Room 416 by Sakiko Nomura. Nomura is perhaps best known for her intimate photography of male nudes—a radical choice of subject given the “boys club” nature of Japanese photography. But she also photographs urban landscapes, still lifes, snow, and other subjects, all in her distinctively ephemeral style.
Room 416 brings together a selection of 56 Polaroid photographs. They are printed in two intertwined booklets, then bound together in a trifold hardcover. Depending on how the reader chooses to turn the pages of each book, different triptychs are created. It is a small jewel of a book.
I am not aware of any other books made in this particular manner, but I am a big fan of other books with experimental formats that let the reader take part in forming the sequence of photos. Recent favorites include David Alan Harvey (based on a true story), Daido Moriyama (Marrakech), John Gossage (Nothing). and Sean Lotman (The Sniper Paused So He Could Wipe His Brow).
Sean Lotman, by the way, has a new solo exhibition beginning in Tokyo today, at Jinny Street Gallery (the same gallery where I exhibited a year ago!) His exhibition, The Leaves on the Trees Go Whooosh!, explores our relationship with trees and reminds us that they are worth our examination, love, and gratitude.
Thank you for reading! Unbelievably, I have been writing this free newsletter for almost three years. It is your support and interest that keeps me going.
Until next month,
Joel