June 22 | Publication Commemorative Talk Event for "Japanese Photography History: Photography Magazines 1874-1985": What is "Photography"?

About "photography," something everyone encounters every day
When you think of "photography," what comes to mind?
The function is built into the smartphones that many people carry around daily, and now even toys for small children are equipped with the ability to take photos; its forms are diverse, and "photography" is a familiar presence that supports our recording and expression.
We have decided to hold an event to deepen our understanding and imagination regarding this thing called "photography."

The catalyst for this was...
This book published by Heibonsha.
A major work that took over 10 years to compile, covering the history of photography in Japan.
"Japanese Photography History: Photography Magazines 1874-1985"
It is a monumental work that conveys the history of Japanese photography, documenting how the technology of photography arrived in Japan and how it was used and developed, from its dawn to wartime propaganda, postwar documentaries, art photography, and mass media, while also covering over 400 photographers.

This book was shaped by editor Ivan Vartanian, with the collection and texts of photography historian, critic, and collector Ryuichi Kaneko as the core, and with the significant contribution of photography historian Masako Toda.

In this event, we will have a talk session about photography, where we will look at some of the actual collected materials while touching upon the history of photography and photography magazines, as well as Masako Toda's areas of expertise: "prewar modernism," "photography and literature," and "landscape theory."

As partners for Masako Toda,
we will be joined by Masataka Ohata, a technician at the forefront of the field of new photographic expression from Sun M Color, a leading printing company in Kyoto that possesses high-quality printing technology, and Akihito Yoshida, a Kyoto-based photographer who became a photographer after working as a teacher and also has a face as a publisher.
The prosperity of photography magazines is inseparable from the development of reproduction technology. Please enjoy this three-way conversation between three people involved in photography from different angles: the person who takes the photos, the person who prints them, and the person who researches their history.

So, this time, various materials using both new and old technologies will be gathered.
It will surely be a session to deepen and circulate questions as a form of feedback for your daily life and creative activities. *Please note that this event will not be streamed due to material protection concerns. It is highly recommended for photographers, as well as those studying artistic expression and those interested in bookmaking.
It is a valuable session, so please don't miss it!

...

Speaker Profiles

Masako Toda
Photography historian. Completed doctoral coursework in Cultural Resource Studies at the University of Tokyo. Teaches photography history at Musashino Art University and Tokyo College of Photography. Served as an exhibition collaborator for "The World of the Phantom Modernist Masao Horino" (Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, 2012), "Akihiko Okamura's Photography: Everything About Living and Dying" (same, 2014), and others. Supervised "Akihiko Okamura's Words and Photography: What Kind of Era Are We Living In Now?" (Akakasha, 2020), "Hisae Imai" (Akakasha, 2022), and co-authored "Japanese Photography Magazines 1880-1980" (Goliga, 2022), among others.

Masataka Ohata (Sun M Color Co., Ltd.)
Printing Director. In addition to photo books and exhibition catalogs, he also handles print direction for art works and cultural property reproductions. He also serves as a technician for digital archiving using large scanners and printing quality control.
https://www.sunm.co.jp/
https://twitter.com/sunmcolor
https://www.instagram.com/sunmcolor/

Akihito Yoshida
Born in Miyazaki Prefecture in 1980. Resides in Kyoto. After graduating from the Faculty of Education at Shiga University, he worked as a Japanese language teacher in Thailand for one year. After returning to Japan, he worked as an elementary school teacher for six years before resigning. Began working as a photographer in 2010.
While working mainly in advertising and magazines, he has produced numerous works starting from personal events, issues, and memories. His works have been exhibited both domestically and internationally, and many publications have been released.
In 2023, he established the photo book publisher "Three Books" and serves as co-representative.
Major publications include "Brick Yard" (self-published), "Tannery" (self-published), "THE ABSENCE OF TWO" (Seigensha/Editions Xavier Barral), "The Dialogue of Two" (Three Books/RPS), "The Screw" (Three Books), and the book "Shanimuni Photographer" (Akishobo), which chronicles his 10 years as a photographer.
Finalist for the 47th Kimura Ihei Photography Award 2023, nominated for the Images Vevey Book Award 2023, nominated for the Paris Photo Aperture First Book Award 2015, Grand Prix winner of the Konica Minolta FOTOPREMIO 2014, and winner of the Nikkei National Geographic Photo Award 2015 People Category, among many other awards and nominations.
http://www.akihito-yoshida.com

<To all visitors>
・Please cooperate with wearing a mask and cough etiquette according to the situation
(Wearing a mask is left to individual judgment)
・Hand disinfection (installed at the venue)
・Please refrain from talking in loud voices
・Please refrain from entering if you have a fever, are feeling unwell, or show symptoms of a cold
・If the venue is crowded, we may restrict entry
*Please be careful of fake application forms posing as our store

Contact: Haraguchi