Koji Onaka
Slow Boat (Signed)
Published by Benrido in 2024
6 Collotypes
Size: 20.6 x 25.8 cm
“Slow Boat” is a series of photographs taken by Koji Onaka, who worked primarily at the independent gallery “Kaido” and developed his own style while traveling around Japan between 1983 and 1999. There are six collotype prints, including a butterfly used on the cover of the photo book of the same title, a houseboat, fireworks on the beach, a dock with a lighthouse, a snowy town, and a snapshot from the perspective of a cat lover. All prints were made on warm paper that differs in texture from Onaka’s original gelatin silver prints, with nostalgic moods that evoke the photographer’s memories.
Koji Onaka was born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1960. After graduating from the Tokyo College of Photography in 1982, he worked at CAMP, an independent gallery run by photographers such as Daido Moriyama, before opening his own gallery, Kaido, in 1988. He began traveling around Japan in his twenties and continued to work primarily in independent galleries. His photographs of desolate rural scenes that evoke a sense of nostalgia have earned him a loyal following both in Japan and abroad. In recent years, Onaka has also edited and published books and held numerous presentations and activities abroad. His books include Seitaka Awadachi-sou, Tokyo Candy Box, Slow Boat, French Dogs, Matatabi, Umimachi, LUCKY CAT, SHORT TRIP AGAIN, and Collecting Summer.