JAPANESE VINTAGE PRINTS
For our anniversary (8 years already!), we are pleased to present vintage prints from five pioneers of Japanese photography: Masahisa Fukase, Daido Moriyama, Motohashi Seiichi, Keiichi Tahara and Shoji Ueda.
Through photos from the 1950s to the 1990s, this diverse selection will allow you to (re)discover Japanese photography. From the sand dunes of Tottori to the windows nestled in the hollow of Parisian rooftops, passing by the mythical district of Shinjuku, these vintage prints deliver visions that are sometimes realistic, sometimes surreal of the places they capture.
What is so special about looking at vintage prints?
Is this due to the quality of the old paper, which is rarely found today?
Or is it dizziness due to the time that has passed since a previous shot?
We invite you to come and experience it for yourself by admiring these photographs filled with stories.
On our walls until April 27, 2024.
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To celebrate the gallery's 8th anniversary, we are delighted to present vintage prints by five pioneers of Japanese photography: Masahisa Fukase, Daido Moriyama, Motohashi Seiichi, Keiichi Tahara and Shoji Ueda.
With images from the 1950s to the 1990s, this diverse selection will give you a chance to (re)discover Japanese photography. From the sand dunes of Tottori through the famous Shinjuku neighborhood to Parisian windows , these vintage prints offer us sometimes realistic, sometimes surreal visions of the places they capture.
What's so special about contemplating vintage prints? Is it the quality of the old paper, which is rarely found today? Or is it the dizzying effect of the time that has elapsed since a photograph was taken? We invite you to come and experience it for yourself as you admire these photographs full of stories.
On our walls until April 27, 2024.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Masahisa Fukase : While the story of Masahisa Fukase (1934-2012) is undoubtedly one of the most tragic in photography, the resulting work is also one of the most powerful. After a first exhibition in 1961, he began a passionate relationship with a woman whose breakup ten years later plunged him into a severe state of depression. He produced a legendary series entitled “Ravens”. After personal and experimental works demonstrating a true artistic singularity, he fell while leaving a bar and remained in a coma for twenty years until his death.
If the story of Masahisa Fukase (1934-2012) is undoubtedly one of the most tragic in photography, the resulting work is also one of the most powerful. After a first exhibition in 1961, he began a passionate relationship with a woman whose breakup ten years later plunged him into a severe depressive state. During those hard years, he created a legendary series called “Ravens”. After personal and experimental works testing to a true artistic singularity, he fell while leaving a bar and remained in a coma for twenty years until his death.
Daido Moriyama : Surely one of the most famous contemporary Japanese photographers, Daido Moriyama is the author of an original and abundant body of work (more than 150 books in a sixty-year career). Born in 1938 near Osaka, he moved to Tokyo in 1961 and to this day compulsively photographs its streets with grainy and contrasting black and whites. This member of the Provoke group has since joined many international collections and continues to be active.
Surely one of the most famous contemporary Japanese photographers, Daido Moriyama is the author of an original and abundant body of work (more than 150 books over a sixty-year career). Born in 1938 near Osaka, he moved to Tokyo in 1961 and to this day compulsively photographs its streets using grainy and contrasting blacks and whites. This member of the Provoke group has since joined numerous international collections and continues to be active.
Motohashi Seiichi : A photographer as well as a filmmaker, Motohashi Seiichi defines himself above all as a realist and a humanist. Born in 1940, he has devoted himself to a variety of social themes: the impact of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the labor of coal mines, the world of the circus, the Tsukiji fish market or even… the famous Ueno station, which we present in this exhibition. Motohashi Seiichi has received numerous awards for both his photography and cinematography.
Photographer as well as filmmaker, Motohashi Seiichi defines himself above all as a realist and a humanist. Born in 1940, he devoted himself to a diversity of social themes: the impact of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the work in coal mines, the world of the circus, the Tsukiji fish market and even... the famous Ueno station, which we present in this exhibition. Motohashi Seiichi has won numerous awards for both his photographic and cinematographic work.
Keiichi Tahara : Born in 1951 in Kyoto, Keiichi Tahara lived in France for 30 years from 1972. Upon his arrival, he began his series “Window” (1973-1981), in which he already demonstrated an attraction and great mastery of light, which would later earn him the nickname “Master of Light”. Keiichi Tahara died in 2017 and received numerous awards for his photographic work, installations, sculptures and architectural projects.
Born in 1951 in Kyoto, Keiichi Tahara lived in France for 30 years from 1972. Upon his arrival, he began his series “Fenêtre” (1973-1981), in which he already demonstrated an attraction and great mastery of light, which would later earn him the nickname “Master of Light”. Keiichi Tahara died in 2017 and won numerous awards for his photographic work, installations, sculptures and architectural projects.
Shoji Ueda : Born in 1913 in Tottori Prefecture, whose unique sand dunes in Japan would serve as the basis for his most famous images, Shoji Ueda maintained a unique surrealist style throughout his life, which nevertheless went against the strongly realistic post-war trend. His popularity grew, however, until he was presented in Arles in 1978, from which point on he was regularly exhibited in Europe. Following the death of his wife in 1983, he produced a fashion series on the dunes, the vintage prints of which can be found on the walls of Galerie Echo 119.
Born in 1913 in Tottori prefecture, whose sand dunes unique in Japan were used to create his most famous images, Shoji Ueda maintained throughout his life a unique surrealist style which went against the post-war trend, strongly realistic. His popularity grew, however, until he was presented in Arles in 1978, from which he was regularly exhibited in Europe. Following the death of his wife in 1983, he produced a fashion series on the dunes. The vintage prints of this late work can be found on the walls of Galerie Echo 119.