Jan.10.2007
Junko Takahashi’s photo book “The Receptionist” goes on sale
“The Receptionist,” a photo collection by Junko Takahashi, an Excellence Award winner of New Cosmos of Photography 1993 (the 5th competition), was put on sale in December 2006 after an interval of eight years. So far, Junko Takahashi has photographed subjects such as high school students with the theme of society and people in that society. This time, she took photographs of receptionists working at office lobbies. She chose major corporations that are representative of Japan, and captured an aspect of Japanese society that comes into view as a result.
According to Takahashi, she had the idea : “In today’s society, most people exist, consciously or unconsciously, in a variety of organizations and organized spaces. So, if I could photograph those people who can usually be found in such spaces, the results would interestingly reflect reality .” This thought led her to take such pictures. She also wondered how she could express today’s Japan symbolically in a way that differed from documentary photos or snapshots. Consequently, she chose the above method. Not only by portraying such women, but also by photographing the spaces where they were, she was able to make various situations observable in the pictures.
Besides, in commemoration of the sale of her photo book, her works other than those in the book and her new video work will be shown as part of a sales promotion at NADiff bookstore (B1, 4-9-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo / tel. 03-3403-8852) from Sunday, January 7 through Sunday, January 28, 2007. A talk session with Kotaro Iizawa, a photo critic and one of the judges of New Cosmos of Photography, and Junko Takahashi is scheduled at NADiff, 17:00 to 19:00 on Sunday, January 14.
What is more, an exhibition of prints from “The Receptionist” and her new video installation with a related concept will be held at Lotus Root Gallery (1F, 4-22 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo / tel. 03-3341-9341 / Open hours: 12:00–19:00 / Closed on Mondays / Admission: free), from Tuesday, February 20 to Sunday, March 11, 2007.
“The Receptionist”
Limited publication of 500, seven works in color,
with one original print + autographed edition
Published by NAZRAELI PRESS, price ¥6,720 (including tax)
| Junko Takahashi homepage : | www.junkotakahashi.com |
| NADiff homepage : | www.nadiff.com |
| Lotus Root Gallery homepage : | www.lotusrootgallery.com |
from “The Receptionist”
