投向同一時代的目光─日本的現代寫真 1970年代起至今

香港藝術中心呈獻
《投向同一時代的目光─日本的現代寫真 1970年代起至今》

( 由左至右) 香港藝術中心總幹事林淑儀女士; 日本駐香港總領事館首席領事石井哲也先生;香港藝術中心名譽主席暨藝術節目委員會主席包陪麗女士, BBS; 以及香港賽馬會慈善項目主管陳淑慧女士( 右二)。

香港藝術中心聯同日本國際交流基金及日本駐香港總領事館舉辦《投向同一時代的目光-日本的現代寫真 1970年代起至今》巡迴展。展覽概括和總結了一九七零年代以後日本攝影家所展現出來多樣的攝影表現。開幕禮已於八月十六日下午圓滿舉行，而是次展覽將於八月十七至三十一日於香港藝術中心包氏畫廊舉行。

是日開幕禮出席嘉賓包括香港藝術中心名譽主席暨藝術節目委員會主席包陪麗女士, BBS；日本駐香港總領事館首席領事石井哲也先生及富士攝影器材有限公司董事總經理孫道弘先生。

是次攝影展於二零零六年起已曾到訪世界各地包括三十五個國家和城市，由前言、結語及兩個章節構成。東京國立近代美術館策展人增田玲為香港觀眾帶來日本具有代表性的二十三名攝影師所拍攝的七十六件作品，由森山大道令人震懾的作品開展的第一章《變容的社會》，是以表現人類的社會性為創作主題的作品。透過拍攝人們的日常生活，作品不經意間流露了社會的變遷。在此章節展出的著名攝影師包括荒木經惟、東松照明及北井一夫等；而在第二章《變化的風景》當中呈現了都市、郊外和自然的景象中出現的風景變化。這部分的作品反映了在一九七零年代初日本因經濟快速增長而產生的巨大變化，在本節出現的知名攝影師包括Takashi Homma (ホンマタカシ)、鈴木理策及高梨豊等。

香港藝術中心總幹事林淑儀表示：「藝術中心多年來一直致力透過展覽、藝術教育等項目推動當代藝術，促進文化交流是我們其中一個目標。是次，我們很榮幸能與日本駐香港總領事館再度合作，舉辦此富有質素和影響力的展覽。攝影作為其中一個藝術流派在香港一直非常流行，日本攝影尤其受到重視。而我們亦就是次展覽舉辦延伸講座活動，講者包括知名的日本攝影學者和香港文化評論人，這將會是一個極好的機會給從業者和攝影愛好者進一步討論攝影在亞洲的發展。」

日本國際交流基金是設立於一九七二年的公共機構，以促進國際間的文化交流為使命。基金通過開展視覺藝術項目，一直致力於提升人們對日本創意文化的理解。基金是次與香港藝術中心攜手合作舉辦此令人期待節目，希望能夠促進一個跨國文化和知識的交流。此展覽亦希望透過呈現這些攝影師對社會和環境的獨特看法，觀眾能深入了解日本社會自70年代至今，在經濟快速增長時期的不斷變化。

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Hong Kong Arts Centre’s Exhibition
Gazing at the Contemporary World: Japanese Photography from the 1970s to the Present

This August, Hong Kong Arts Centre is delighted to co-present with the Japan Foundation and the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong the international touring exhibition Gazing at the Contemporary World: Japanese Photography from the 1970s to the Present. This exhibition is an overview of the diverse photographic expression that has emerged in Japan since the 1970s. The opening ceremony successfully took place on August 16th, 2014, and the exhibition will be held at the HKAC’s Pao Galleries from August 17 until August 31, 2014.

Officiating guests included Ms. Cissy Pao Pui Lai, BBS, Honorary President and Chairman, Arts Programme Committee, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Mr. Tetsuya Ishii, Deputy Consul-General, Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong and Mr. Stanley Sun, Managing Director, Fuji Photo Products Co., Ltd.

Having started its globe-trotting journey back in 2006, the show has made more than 35 stops in cities and institutions all over the world. It comprises a “Prologue”, two main thematic sections, “A Changing Society” and “Changing Landscapes”, and finally an “Epilogue”. Rei Masuda, curator at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, has selected a total of 76 works by 23 artists respectively. Daido Moriyama’s haunting pictures form the introduction to the exhibition. “A Changing Society” focuses on the appearance of human beings as members of society. Through conveying the everyday life of ordinary individuals, the underlying transformations of society are inadvertently revealed. Notable photographers featured in this section are Nobuyoshi Araki, Shomei Tomatsu, and Kazuo Kitai. “Changing Landscapes” focuses on changes in landscape appearing in the city, the suburbs, and nature. Images in this section show the dramatic change that occurred as a result of the rapid economic growth that took place through the early 1970s. Notables in this section are Takashi Homma, Risaku Suzuki and Yutaka Takanishi. Ethereal compositions of Japanese cherry blossoms finish off the exhibition on a lyrical note.

The Japan Foundation is a specialized public organization founded in 1972 with the purpose of promoting international understanding through cultural exchange. With the express purpose of enhancing the understanding of Japanese creativity and culture through the visual arts, the Foundation is collaborating with the Hong Kong Arts Centre to carry out this highly anticipated program and engage in a transnational dialogue, hoping to foster cultural and intellectual exchange. With the great help of the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong in planning this event, the show will reveal these photographers’ unique view of society and landscape and viewers will gain a better understanding of the myriad changes that took place in Japan between the period of rapid economic growth and the early 21st century.

Connie Lam, Executive Director of the HKAC, added, “Over the decades, the Arts Centre has dedicated a great deal of resources, energy and time to the promotion of contemporary art through educational programs, exhibitions and related events. Cultural exchange has remained a primary objective for us and here, I am especially delighted to be collaborating with the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong again on an exhibition of such quality and influence. Photography as a genre has always enjoyed an extraordinary popularity in Hong Kong, Japanese photography in particular being perhaps the most accessible and thus the most well-known. In light of this, we will be organizing a panel discussion – open to the public – between leading photography educators and critics based in Hong Kong on August 24th. This will be a wonderful opportunity for practitioners as well as aficionados of photography to further the discourse on the genre’s development in Asia.”

Exhibition Information:
Gazing at the Contemporary World: Japanese Photography from the 1970s to the Present
Presenter: Hong Kong Arts Centre
Exhibition period: August 17-31, 2014 (10:00am – 8:00pm)
Venue: Pao Galleries, Hong Kong Arts Centre (2 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong)
Fee: Free Admission
Programme Enquiries: 2582 0200/hkac@hkac.org.hk

Extended event: Panel Discussion (Conducted in Cantonese)
Date and time: August 24, 2014 (3:00pm-5:00pm)
Venue: Room 1006, 10/F, Hong Kong Arts Centre (2 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong)
Free admission. Online registration needed
Programme Enquiries: 2582 0200/hkac@hkac.org.hk