The Aesthetics of Photography

See the world with Japanese eyes

Hoyee Tse Aug 11, 2013 - 1 min read

Corridor leading to the side entrance displaying the enlarged works of iconic photographs by local and international photographers

These were the announcements for the exhibitions I went to see, one being with Europe-based Japanese female photographer Yoneda Tomoko, the other one being the annual exhibition of the permanent collection.

The side entrance is just a 7-minute walk from the east gate of JR Eibsu station (via the Sky Walk). Look for this kind of building and signs.

The side entrance gives access to the museum shop and the reception for one of the exhibitions.

Every exhibition has its own reception, providing a free audio tour and information leaflets.

When you first hear the words Photography and Japan, you may initially conjure images of technology in your mind. But it is the desire for creation that inspires hi-tech innovation.

In this museum, the exhibitions tell you the story of how photographers present their country and ideas from an unconventional angle.

I went to see the exhibition of Yoneda Tomoko, which lead the viewers take a trip back in time, immersing themselves in large-printed photos of historical sites. The whole exhibition was set up as a journey starting from the past and then foreseeing the future from the photographer's perspective.

The other exhibition was 'The Aesthetics of Photography', which represented the fundamental components of photography: angle, light, darkroom work and focus. These exhibitions are now finished, but there are always impressive and interesting things going on.

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Find out more about Tokyo Photographic Art Museum.

Hoyee Tse @hoyee.tse

Art, architecture, comics and fashion, every aspect of culture is fascinating. To me, the interplay between innovation and tradition is the greatest attraction of Japan.