Hanran: 20th-Century Japanese Photography

While, like so many others, I miss my regular visits to the National Gallery of Canada and eagerly anticipate its re-opening mid-July, I have been re-exploring online this excellent Japanese photography exhibit from this past fall/winter. I visited the exhibition several times while it was on, and was particularly fascinated and moved by the work of Ishiuchi Miyako (see images below), Nakahira Takuma and Kanemura Osamu. 

‘Witness a period of socio-political upheaval in 20th-century Japan, through photographs from the Yokohama Museum of Art. Inspired by the Japanese word for flooding, overflow, or deluge, Hanran reflects 20th-century Japan, from the early 1930s to the 1990s, through the lenses of 28 significant photographers. See this unforgettable exhibition, on view for the first time outside Japan, which calls attention to the costs of nuclear warfare and Japan’s extraordinary recovery – all unfolding in front of the camera's mechanical eye.’ -NGC website. More

Read more: 
Long Exposure: Conversation with exhibition curator Eriko Kimura
Japan in the Shōwa Era: Looking Forward and Back
Depth of Field: A Japanese Photography Reading List

Images by Ishiuchi Miyako

Work in progress

MaryAnnCamps-2018-AtTheWindow-28.5x35.5-acrylicphotoimagetransferonduralar+30brt+10cont600x710pixels.jpg

Here are few photos and short video showing stages of 'At the window', along with an extract from my Liminal series artist statement:

“This series is photography based. I make monoprints by transferring laser printed photographic images manually to translucent plastic film using an acrylic medium transfer process. The laser toner transfers into the medium on the plastic film. I then carefully peel and rub off the layers of paper. The result is a transparent image on translucent film.

There is push and pull between control of the process and surrender to the accidents that inevitably happen as the work is done while everything is wet. The imperfections - tears, scratches, finger marks, unevenness - are integral to the work. These marks contribute to the ephemeral, not-quite-solid feel I want and are often some of my favourite elements. I feel a sense of the time worn, like an old film negative or film strip. I have an ever growing appreciation for the fact that the best things often happen by chance while I am busy working.” 

The finished piece is 28.5x35.5". Click here to see more from this series.