"Breezeless," an exhibition dedicated to contemporary Japanese photography, features the work of eight photographers: Mikio Hasui, Taishi Hirokawa, Gentaro Ishizuka, Haruhi Fujii, Haruna Kawanishi, Kiiro, Chie Murakami, and Takemi Saito.
"Breezeless" evokes a special relationship with nature and its cycles. Taishi Hirokawa’s work visualizes the passage of time with an overwhelming sense of presence, while Mikio Hasui expresses the thoughts and judgments that shape the photographic process. Together, these two artists capture the essence of Tokyo through portraits of the city’s shrines and Meijro’s forests. Gentaro Ishizuka shows us a new vision of Tokyo that reveals an essential ecological awareness. Meanwhile, a suspension of time and sense of latency draws us through the sublime atmosphere created by emerging photographer Kiiro.
"Breezeless" also whispers and breathes mystery and imposes an intimate relationship with the viewer. In the dreamlike atmosphere of Haruhi Fujii, young girls seem similar to birds, symbols of the fragility of our existence. Chie Murakami tests the ambiguity of when young girls adopt adult attitudes, while Haruna Kawanishi introduces us to an allegorical and urban interpretation of the Snow White fairytale. Finally, Takemi Saito describes with humor the eccentric adventures of a young girl.
This exhibition supports the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, created by the Japan Society in New York, and is made possible by the support of Gallery 21 in Tokyo, a longtime partner of Sous Les Etoiles Gallery, and Oneaba, a large photography event that was organized for the first time outside Japan during the New York Photo Festival in May 2011.