showcase #3
“Japanese Portraits”
curated by minoru shimizu
yosuke harada, ryuichi ishikawa, shinichiro uchikura
2014.06.06 (fri.) – 06.29 (sun.)
open on fri., sat., and sun. 12:00-18:00
weekday appointments are available upon request
opening reception on 2014.06.06 (fri.) 18:00-20:00
eN arts is pleased to present the third edition of “showcase” curated by
Professor Minoru Shimizu, one of Japan’s most respected contemporary art
critics. “Showcase” is a group exhibition focused on photography and itself
has truly been a showcase for up and coming photographers since 2012. For
“showcase #3”, Professor Shimizu has selected, from the perspective of
“portraits”, three talented photographers, Yosuke Harada, Ryuichi Ishikawa,
Shinichiro Uchikura. I hope the distinctive portraits photographed by these
promising artists will fascinate the audience.
Naomi Rowe
eN arts
showcase #3
“Japanese Portraits”
Few young artists photograph portraits today. There are some, but for
ordinary artists, portraits are little more than the exposure of the subject’s
identity (“Ah, this shows Mr. A’s personality very well.”), an exploration the
subject’s identity (“Oh, we can see the new side of Mr. A”), or an expression of
humanism (“Wow, we sense human dignity through Mr. A”)
In contrast, the few distinguished portrait-photographers focus on
“sameness” not “identity”. The difference is “identity” concerns the subject
(“I” am “me”, not “you”!) while “same” in “sameness” concerns the predicate
state (Being naked, or being sick, or dying, we are the same. You and I are
the same because we both are male or are female. You and I are the same
because we defecate or can become sexually excited.) Thus, the sameness
exists without the framework of the identity of the individual. “Sameness” is
scandalous in a way by crossing the individuals’ borders. Now that we
understand the definitions of “sameness” and “identity” in portrait
photographs, portraits can cause discomfort (Don’t make Me like You) and
touch taboo areas (the father looks at his daughter as a woman.).
We are in the same predicate state in that we are Japanese and living in
Japan. But since the 3.11 Earthquake, we have become more sensitive and
less comfortable being the same as others. We have begun to inquire the
meaning and conditions of being the same. In the very reactive Japanese
society today, we fear that the identity politics of “The Japanese” and “Japan”
are taking over the sameness of “being Japanese” and “living in Japan”.
For “showcase #3” I have selected the photos of three photographers who
capture the sameness in “being Japanese” and “living in Japan” today.
Yosuke Harada (1982-)
cv-j.pdf
Ryuichi Ishikawa (1984-)
cv-j.pdf
Shinichiro Uchikura (1981-)
cv-j.pdf