MANABU SOMEYA
MICHI NO KI (SIGNED)
Published by Sokyu-sha, 2013
Book size: 22 x 28 cm
Pages 84 pages
Hard cover
Language: English, Japanese
"Living in this complicated world, I look upon my surrounding beyond the “dualism” – oneself and others, right and wrong, life and death. We need to go between two ideas or merge the two ideas. In this collection of photographs, I am aiming to capture a hint of death in everyday life. This is not easy to discover during our routine days. consist simply in “life”. being, “death” is not only the opposite meaning of “life” but also coexists with “life” may well be surrounded by “death”.
I avoid manipulating artworks through camera tricks or gimmickry. Rather, let the camera take photographs, as photographs are a passive style of arts.
While I am taking photographs, I just simply react to the subject - not judging what is implied to be in the subject. When I go through numerous amounts of negative films, I occasionally get a glimpse of a new world which is beyond my senses. Even though it happens rarely, I continue as this is the power of photography. I am waiting for something to come to me from the other side of the lens. My style is about creating a slit in the curtain of life, and gradually collecting the inner nature of day to day living that has accidentally fallen through this opening."
(Manabu Someya)
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"Living in this complicated world, I look at my surroundings beyond the "dualism" - self and others, good and evil, life and death. One has to move between two ideas or merge the two ideas. In this collection of photographs, I seek to capture a hint of death in everyday life. It is not easy to discover in our routine days. We tend to believe that "death" is the end of "life". This is certainly true, but everyday life is not just about "life". As a human being, "death" is not only the opposite meaning of "life", but it also coexists with "life". "Life" can very well be surrounded by "death".
I avoid manipulating the artwork by doing camera tricks or gadgets. Instead, I let the camera take the pictures, because photography is a passive art style.
While I am taking pictures, I simply react to the subject - without judging what is implicit in the subject. When I review many quantities of negative film, I sometimes get a glimpse of a new world that is beyond my senses. Even though this rarely happens, I continue because that is the power of photography. I wait for something to come to me from the other side of the lens. My style is to create a slit in the curtain of life, and gradually collect the inner nature of everyday life that has accidentally fallen through this opening."
(Manabu Someya