The beauty of Japan's art and architecture has been elegantly captured in this stunning collection of post-war photography. One hundred and fifty photographs from three of Japan's masters of photography, Yoshio Watanabe, Ken Domon and Yasuhiro Ishimoto, will be on display at Gold Coast City Art Gallery from December 15, 2000 to January 7, 2001.
The Beauty of Japan Photographed documents both classical and modern interpretations of the Japanese environment, and introduces the viewer to the beauty of Japanese visual culture. In this exhibition, Yoshio Watanabe's photographic subject is the Ise Shrine. Watanabe was the first person to receive permission to photograph the shrine in 1953, and he has since returned, following two subsequent re-buildings in 1973 and 1993. His documentation of the Ise Shrine accurately reflects the refined aesthetic of the building and its surroundings.
Ken Domon focuses primarily on photographing Buddhist sculptural images and temple architecture. His intimate series of photographs took twelve years to complete and transcends the bounds of documentary photography, to create a body of work both haunting and serene in its beauty. Yasuhiro Ishimoto embraces the formal qualities of photography in his documentation of the Katsura Detached Palace. His work rejects emotion and explores the relationships of arrangement, found within the grounds of this 17th Century Palace.
While each photographer has worked with the subject matter of traditional images of Japanese beauty, there are striking differences in the way each has documented their subject matter. In this unique exhibition of photographs we are reminded of the enduring appeal of the traditional Japanese environment, and the ability of a photograph to capture the elusive and the profound.
The Beauty of Japan Photographed brings together 150 works, which examine a very specific Japanese notion of beauty, and offers a unique opportunity for an Australian audience to challenge traditional perceptions of the exotic Orient. The exhibition will be officially opened on Friday December 15 at 6pm, by Mr Korenari Kai, Consul-General of Japan, Qld. Entry to this exhibition is FREE, and The Beauty of Japan Photographed continues until January 7, 2001.
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