“New Cosmos of Photography,” a project that Canon Inc. has been promoting as part of its cultural support activities since autumn 1991, focuses its attention on today’s photography and conducts an open contest to discover, nurture, and support new photographers, whose challenge is to pursue possibilities in photographic expression.

This contest, irrespective of age, nationality, entry size, and form, is designed to encourage creative activities in order to bring out the full potential of photography, taking up experimental works such as crossovers of different genres including gelatin silver prints, and inspiring new original works going beyond existing stereotypical photos.

For the jury, Nobuyoshi Araki, Kotaro Iizawa, Fumio Nanjo, and Daido Moriyama, who approve of the purpose for which this contest was established, are regular members, and guest judges are chosen from among prominent photographers and artists both at home and abroad. So far they have given many important suggestions and proposals.

Photography has a history of nearly 15 decades, and in the 1990s, its meaning and ways of expression have changed significantly. As cameras have developed technologically, people come to enjoy photography in different ways in their everyday lives, which has stimulated new artistic values in photography. Moreover, the technological development of digital photos and the Internet has made new photographic expressions possible, giving a wider range in photography. It is sincerely hoped that in such a current trend of the times, “New Cosmos of Photography” will mark a new era in the history of photography, and its development as part of Canon’s cultural activities will provide photographers leading the next generation with new ideas and messages for their expressions.