Canon global

Photographs are "Objects in Fluid Motion"

-What was the intent behind making your award-winning work?

I can't specifically say what I photographed, and if I was asked if I gathered these photographs to express a certain theme, I don't think I could say with much authority that I did. When I make a work, I believe that the ideal is that the image captured in the picture, and the words that come out of that, and the photograph as an object itself, all link together well. I want to make sure it's not just the strength of the subject of the photographs that gets noticed, and I don't want the story that is spun from there to take priority, and I don't want just the concept to stand out. Rather than that, I want the fusion of the entire unit to act as a single work. This was my aim with the work I made here, but I'm not sure how well I succeeded. I'm both looking forward to people's reactions while I am also a little concerned.

-Your exhibition style was very full of variety. Some pictures were placed on the floor and leaned against the wall; some photos were given thickness while others were plastered up as a single sheet. Were you trying to create an entire space rather than a flat plane?

Yes, that's right. I had an exhibit space with a width of five meters, and I wanted to use as much of that space as possible, so I thought I'd try to express something using the entire space. I had quite an image in my head of what kind of display I wanted to make. Then it was a matter of doing the work to bring it into shape. I ended up using quite a large number of photographs. For me, photographs are not something that is instantly captured, expressed as a "definitive moment" or an "aura" or any other word like that. Rather I have the image of photographs as being "objects in fluid motion". I also feel that it's not something that is completed in a single picture, so I ended up needing a lot of photographs for my exhibit. I hope that I've managed to express my image of objects in fluid motion. I said that photographs are not something stationary, but I think at the same time each photograph has to be itself in existence. They must all have something worth seeing on their own. They should be enjoyable to look at both as a whole and one image at a time. That is what I am aiming for with my work.

-The eye is drawn to the photographs of flames. This isn't some kind of sentimental expression, is it?

It's not meant to be symbolic of anything, no. I do feel a strong attraction to things like fire and light, so I thought I'd like to display it as-is. Things like fire and light are basic components of what make up this world, so I think they can be interpreted and explained in words in a number of ways. There are so many meanings that have been expounded upon a number of times through history. It's very interesting to learn about all those ways of thinking, but I think it is impossible to say everything there is to say about fire and light with mere words. I think there is something much deeper lurking in fire and light that has never been put into words. This is not just limited to fire and light. Rather than indicating it in words, I'm sure there is a much richer world inside those things, and I feel that there is a world that can be constructed using just visuals. I think it's interesting to try to express that through photography. But, I'm happy if the people who view my work can have a variety of imaginings and impressions about my work. "Oh, it's fire" or "it sure is burning up" or even "I feel something passionate." It's fine if they can freely gain something from the work.

So that the world doesn't wither away

-Why did you choose photography as your method of expression?

Photographs can only be made by going to the place, and you've got to do some sort of communication with the subject if you want to take a picture. If you seclude yourself away, you can't make anything. That's one thing I find fun about photography. Also, there are always miscellaneous things that wind up being captured within the photographic frame. It's an image of reality, so this is natural, of course. Even if you think, "I only want to take a picture of this" there are always other things in the background and vicinity that will wind up in the frame. But for some reason this doesn't bother me. The world is a complicated place, so I think it's good to express in photographs how that complicated quality can't be eliminated. If you try to organize the image too much or interpret it too much and the components become too few, then it starts to feel as though the world has withered away. That's why I try to incorporate chance elements into my photographs. I think that if I try to limit myself to things I can control, my photos won't be interesting.

-When, and why did you start taking photographs?

I started when I was 19. When I was in high school, I made videos with my friends so I decided to go to film school, but the entrance exams didn't go well. After that I went on a trip to the United States and I was taking a lot of snaps, and at that time I was taking portraits, and they were pretty good. I figured I was on to something, and I changed my path to pursue photography. I haven't changed much since then in what I am trying to do with my photography. I look out over the whole of the everyday, and try to capture the world. That's what I think about when I'm making my work. I think I will continue making work like this that is created with my own concept as its base.