Photo exhibition by TAKAO MATSUOKA

ふと見上げると満月が夜空に浮かんでいた、その満月は私に向かい無言で問いかける。

柔らかな月の光は辺りを照らし更に静まり返える、光が全ての音をゆっくりと消していく、

私の呼吸や鼓動の音も消えていた、その光の静寂は美しく永遠と思えた。

人が光になったらどうなるのか、永遠に続く静寂の中で何を思うのか。

この幼い頃の経験と問いは後の人生に影響を与えた。

ある日、手にした古い写真機、レンズは光を集め小さな満月を手のひらに照らす。

この小さな満月のありのままの美しさを残す方法を探した。

現像液の中でゆっくりと揺れる満月、音も無く柔らかな境界線を描き静寂の夜空に浮かぶ。

あの日の満月は今も私に無言で問いかける。

期間中、自作写真機の展示も致します。

As I glanced upward, the full moon hovered in the night sky, silently questioning me.

Its gentle light bathed the surroundings, deepening the silence, and gradually erasing every sound.

Even the whispers of my breath and the beating of my heart faded into the luminous stillness.

The quiet of that light seemed timeless and achingly beautiful.

What if one became light? What thoughts would linger in an endless silence?

This childhood wonder and query cast long shadows over my life.

One day, with an old camera in my hands, the lens gathered light and painted a small full moon within my grasp.

Enchanted by this delicate moon, I sought ways to preserve its pure beauty.

The full moon swayed softly in the developing solution, drawing gentle, silent boundaries, and floated in the serene night sky.

That moon from long ago still poses a silent question to me.

During the exhibition, I will also showcase my self-made camera.

京都市生まれ。

画家を志し美術系の高校に進学。

画廊に通い多くの作品に触れる、作品を更に良く見せる空間とは何かを意識する。

額装、照明、光の角度や色温度の違いによる見え方に興味を持つ。

絵画と光や色の関係を学ぶ中、手描き友禅の工房見学で絹の豊かな光沢と発色を知り染色学科の美術大学に進学。

在学中に古い写真機に出会う、同時に荒木経惟氏の写真に衝撃を受ける。

自分なりの写真表現を模索する中、自作の写真機で撮影を試みる。

木箱に120ロールフィルムを装填し、4x5用シャッターと35mmフィルム用レンズを取り付ける。

面積の広いフィルムはレンズのイメージサークルの円をそのままに撮影が出来ます。

卒業後は染色会社に就職し現在に至る。

京都の街を中心に道行く方を撮影。

2018年、京都を訪れたベルギー出身のグラフィックデザイナーと出会いました。

彼女は私の作品に対して、京都の日常生活の本物の描写にどれほど感動したかを述べ、公に発表するよう勧めてくれました。

この出会いがきっかけとなり、2020年に初の個展を開催。

将来は写真展覧会をブリュッセルで開催する約束をしました。

現在も連絡を取り合い作品の見せ方や説明文の相談をしています。

私の目標はブリュッセルとニューヨークで写真展覧会の開催です。

京都市内で3回、東京銀座で1回、計4回の写真展覧会を開催、ご来場の方に気になる作品を投票で教えて頂きました。

5回目の今回は松栄堂様のご厚意で薫習館の松吟ロビーをお借り出来ました。

過去の投票結果を交えて選りすぐりの作品と新作で構成を致します。

自作の写真機の展示も致します。

2025年 4月、写真展覧会、京都国際写真祭、香老舗松栄堂、京都。

2022年12月、写真展覧会、AMS写真館、京都。

2022年10月、写真展覧会、銀座第7ビルギャラリー、東京。

2021年 3月、写真展覧会、AMS写真館、京都。

2020年11月、写真展覧会、ギャラリーマロニエ5F、京都。

http://www.gallery-maronie.com/exhibitions/space5/6657/

2020年9月、公募展、入選、城陽アートギャラリー、京都。

2001年11月号、観光紙に掲載、Kyoto Visitors Guide.

Born: Kyoto, Japan

Based in: Kyoto

From an early age, I aspired to become a painter, which led me to attend a high school specialised in art.

When visiting art galleries, I am not only captivated by the artworks but also by their presentation. I enjoy contemplating how to best utilize exhibition space to enhance the beauty of the pieces on display. This interest extends to how different framing, lighting, light angles, and color temperatures influence the perception of art.

During my studies, I delved into the relationship between painting, light, and color. A pivotal moment was a tour of a hand-painted Yuzen workshop, where I discovered the rich luster and hues of silk.

This experience inspired me to enroll in the dyeing department at an art university. There, I encountered an old camera and was profoundly impacted by the photographs of Nobuyoshi Araki, igniting my passion for photography.

Driven to find my unique photographic expression, I began experimenting with a self-made camera. Using a wooden box, I crafted a device that could load 120 roll film, incorporating a 4x5 shutter and a 35mm film lens.

This innovative setup allowed me to capture images while preserving the circular shape of the lens, offering a distinctive photographic perspective. I aim to give viewers the sensation of taking the photographs themselves, standing on a street, looking through the lens, and pushing the button. I cherish conveying this feeling to my audience.

Upon graduating, I joined a dyeing company, where I continue to work while pursuing my passion for photography.

My work primarily focuses on capturing candid moments of people in Kyoto, always taken with permission to ensure they can be shared on social media and exhibited in galleries.

In 2018, I met a graphic designer from Belgium visiting Kyoto. She saw my work and encouraged me to showcase it publicly, expressing how moved she was by the genuine depictions of daily life in Kyoto. This encounter led to my first solo photo exhibition in 2020.

My current ambition is to hold photo exhibitions in both Brussels and New York.

To date, I have held four exhibitions: three in Kyoto and one in Ginza, Tokyo. Visitor feedback, collected through votes on their favorite pieces, has guided my creative direction.

For my fifth exhibition, I am honoured to display my work in the Kunjyukan Shogin lobby, thanks to the generous support of Shoeido. This exhibition features a mix of award-winning photographs and new works, reflecting feedback from previous visitors. Additionally, I will showcase my self-made photography equipment.

April 2025., Photo Exhibition,KYOTOGRAPHIE,KG+2025,,Shoyeido, Kyoto.

December 2022, Photo Exhibition, AMS Photo Studio, Kyoto.

October 2022, Photo Exhibition, Ginza 7th Building Gallery, Tokyo.

March 2021, Photo Exhibition, AMS Photo Gallery, Kyoto.

November 2020, Photo exhibition, Gallery Marronnier 5F, Kyoto.

http://www.gallery-maronie.com/exhibitions/space5/6657/

September 2020, Public Exhibition, Selected, Joyo Art Gallery, Kyoto.

Photo published in the November 2001 issue of tourist paper, Kyoto Visitors Guide.