KATSUKO, a solo exhibition by award-winning Japanese photographer Shinya Masuda, is a collection of 15 works spanning several series of photography works. Taken as a whole, the exhibition delves into the idea of human memory, articulated through sublimely manipulated photographs of spoiled food and other organic materials. All things with form, Masuda-san states, will one day pass away from their physical form, leaving only memories in our minds.

Artist Statement (English)

When I was very young, my grandmother said `All things with shape will pass away after all’. I can still remember that phrase now. At that time, I believed that some things could live forever.

There is an old, well-known Japanese phrase, “Shogyo Mujo”, which is considered to be the ideological foundation of Buddhism. “Mujo” means a state that is in flux or not permanent.

People’s memories are made from things that have a shape. But eventually, all things with shape will pass away, after all. Only the memories remain forever.

One day I found that some food in a box that my parents sent for me to eat had gone bad. Although I was disappointed about that at first, I just went on to take pictures of it.

When I thought about the care and love my parents put into their gift to me, which now had become just rotten and mildewed food, I was overwhelmed with emotion.

It was now just wasted food, not a loving gift from my parents. Then I hit upon a good idea. It was just like that – to decorate one of them beautifully as a ceremony for a dying object. Would it become something new or just food going to waste?

Artist Statement (Japanese)

幼い頃、私は祖母から「カタチあるのはいつかなくなる」という言葉を聞いた。
今でもその言葉がとても印象に残っている。
その頃の私は永遠に続くものが必ずあるはずだと信じて疑わなかった。

仏教用語に「諸行無常」という言葉がある。諸行とは、この世の一切の事物の現象を指し、
無常とは、一切は常に変化し、不変なものはないという意味だ。

思い出に物質的な形はない。人は形ある物を介して思い出をたどる為、それに依存する。
しかし、形ある物はいつか無くなる。その結果、思い出はその人の中で永遠に生き続けることとなる。

ある日、親から送られてきた食べ物が箱の中で腐っていた。箱を開けた時は正直がっかりしたが、そこから全ての撮影が始まった。
朽ちてカビだらけになった食べ物を見て、それを送ってきた人の想いを想像すると胸がいっぱいになった。
そこにあるのはただの腐った食べ物で、うわべだけの情報だけがある。
私はそこで思いついた。
滅びゆくものを送り出す儀式として、華やかに飾ってみたらどうだろう。
それは満ち足りたものになり得るのだろうか。
それとも、それはただの腐った食べ物でしかないのだろうか。

Websites

http://shinyamasuda.com/
Profile at LensCulture

Biography

Born: 1965 in Nagoya, Japan

Graduated from Nagano Art School (Department of Visual Communication & Design)

Exhibitions

2016

• KATSUKO, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur
• FAUX, The Center For Fine Art Photography (C4FAP), Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

2014

• EWAAC – East-West Art Award Exhibition, London, UK

2013

• EWAAC – East-West Art Award Exhibition, London, UK

2010

• Tokyo Graphic Passport, Tokyo, Japan

Awards

2016

• FAUX Exhibition Director’s Honorable Mention, Center for Fine Art Photography (C4FAP)

2014

• Finalist, EWAAC (East-West Art Award Competition) 2014

2013

• Best Photography, EWAA (East-West Art Award) 2013

2010

• Finalist (Photography), Tokyo Graphic Passport