Changes from last summer

Jiro Nagase Exhibition

The current exhibition was created from scratch by Jiro, who is also the creator of the space.

Exhibitions lasting less than ten days are always fleeting and somewhat ephemeral, offering scenes that can only be seen during this period.

Thank you to everyone who came and looked forward to the online event.

And before we know it, it will be August.

Time really does pass by so quickly.

How was July for you all?

For me it was a month of intense emotions, but also one filled with unforgettable days.

When I look back at my diary from about a year ago to see what kind of summer it was last year, I find that it describes my feelings and events at the time, making me realize that it's important to look back sometimes.

Last summer, I was so busy chasing immediate goals and short-term objectives that my health got a little bad.

Although I knew that things couldn't continue like this, I continued to wander around aimlessly and acted as if I wasn't grounded in reality.

Through the " dialogue " I have with the artists I meet during my interviews, and through learning about their lives and the people close to them, my values, which were filled with worldly desires, are gradually changing.

It makes me realize that people can change at any time due to various triggers, and that the important thing is to never give up, never lie, and to face your feelings honestly.

Now I want to put down roots in my life, cherish the things and people that are important to me, and increase the things I can do.

I want to continue not taking the obvious things for granted, looking back on each day, and even if it means taking a detour at times, facing the things in front of me head-on at my own pace.

In mid-August, we went to Wakayama to interview and photograph the couple, Shoda and Kawai Arisa , who are planning to hold an exhibition as part of their anniversary project in September.

It's been a year since I last visited them at the Michinoku Art Festival Yamagata Biennale last summer. I will never forget the kindness I received from them last year.

We hope you look forward to the contents of the interview, along with the footage that will be updated on the Utsushiki YouTube channel .

Let's have a lot of learning this week too.

Yoshiaki Ono