Over the summer I was lucky enough to visit japan for two weeks. As soon as I got off the plane I was enthralled by the whole visual experience. Consequentially I could not stop taking photographs. I was fascinated by the extraordinary blend between the hypermodern and the deep rooted traditions that constantly battle of space within the mega-metropolis that is Tokyo. Japanese culture is of course incredibly complex with its rich history and my photographs really only scratch a surface of what is and incredible country. Evidently I came back with a wealth of images. It was revitalising not to be tied by any sort of project and get back to the basics of just me and my camera. The typical stereotype is of the Japanese tourist and their camera constantly taking pictures of what we might see as the mundane. But during my trip the roles were very much reversed. There was this parallel running between our fascination with each others cultures and perhaps their share a similar stereotype of westerns coming to their country and taking bizarre pictures of signs that simply read “DONT LET YOUR DOG SHIT HERE”. Anyway I walked the streets like the Flaneur, relishing in what uncanny situation might lay around the next street corner.
Surrounding myself with a subject such as photography for 9 months of the year sometimes leads me to start to resent the medium. But going to Japan really reignited my passion for the subject. Of course getting to go to Japan was a privileged experience. It’s one that i cannot exactly replicate during this project that sits in front of my but it has given me something to strive towards. I’ve come back with this great abundance of images that i wish to re-appropriate. It has also been really inspiring to come back to the course and have a unit titled Explore and Experiment as i feel that is exactly what my practice needs at the moment. Having the freedom of being able to explore some of the fringes of photography is expanding into intrigues me.
Below are a selection of digital images taken during my two weeks in japan. They are a glimpse into the stunning visual culture that Japan holds; from its modern urbanism to its traditional core that hides away in the peaceful mountains.
