monodramatic / double standard

A series of photographic works by Takakura, who was originally active in theater, with the motif of a one-man play that expresses “My Story” that everyone has through multifaceted “we,” such as various choices, roles, and positions swirling within oneself.

Q: What made you apply?
There was no age limit, and if it was a two-dimensional work, it was also possible to submit a photographic work, which led to the application. Also, the fact that photographer Herbie Yamaguchi was on the jury to submit my photo work was also a boost.

Q: What made you decide to make this work?
This work is a work in a series of works called monodramatic (monodramatic), which I have been making since the beginning of my career as an artist, and I
made it for my solo exhibition held before.
The reason for production was that all of these things overlapped, such as the subject I wanted to listen to at that season and timing, and the image of the shooting location that serves as the background.

Q: Please tell us about the thoughts you put into your work.
There are many facets to people, and I am always moving forward while choosing many options within myself. Each “self,” which is an option, communicates with each other, has conflicts, and I feel that the “self” who is here and now has been chosen. It's difficult to determine which option was right, and I don't think I want to deny “myself” that I wasn't able to choose. At the time of filming, the woman in the subject was at a loss as to whether to continue the theater where she had been active or get a job. As a result, she got a job. It's a job at a theater production company. I don't know what the process went through before she made that choice. But after hearing about getting a job, I decided to do both! I remember being surprised and made happy. Choices are possibilities, and “human potential” is one theme of this series. The “double standard” in the title also has negative connotations, including contradictions, but I hope each choice is the correct answer for that person.

Herbie Yamaguchi (photographer)

In the season when cherry blossoms bloom, people begin to walk through the winter in search of new hope.
Many of the same women wearing yellow sweaters appear in this work. She is trying to climb the slope of her life little by little, while sometimes worrying and sometimes encouraging people. Then, various people go through their own lives. It could be my past self, or it could be an unspecified number of people I met somewhere. On a single screen, a microcosm of our lives as we live more toward our goals while worrying is told.

Asae Soya (artist)

The realistic stage of housing complex, cherry blossoms, and Ishigaki was fresh.
It's a sight I've definitely seen before, yet it looks so beautiful.
When I think about why, first of all, the composition is wonderful. While following the zigzags that spread all over the screen with your eyes, you can synthesize the movements of women in various poses arranged there as images in your brain like a para-para comic.
Also, I think the fact that there are various gradations and contrasts in the screen also contributes to the richness of this photo. The upper part of the screen is a delicate gradation of cherry blossoms with the housing complex in the background, in a whitish setting. As it rides in a zigzag pattern and shifts its gaze downward to the bottom of the screen, the light and dark are reversed, creating a strong contrast where the white silhouette of a woman stands out in a dark background.
While enjoying a walk through the screen like that, I empathize with her as she walks bravely and indifferently while hesitating, taking her with her past self and my future self at the same time.
Spring is both a season of confusion and a season of departure. With this feeling, everyone is probably welcoming spring.

SAITO Yuriko (Chokoku-no-Mori Art and Culture Foundation)

I felt that it was a work that could not be explained simply by the concept that photography is a means of expression that captures what one sees with one's eyes.
In addition to the appeal of the composition, the gentle image of the subject thinking about his own life, hesitating, sometimes stopping, and trying to move forward caught my eye with a gentle image that seemed to support him through the viewfinder. When you take a new step, the right answer, including regrets and hesitation, and the fact that it's lovely may be something you don't notice at that moment. It seems as if they teach me that time spent facing various aspects of oneself is by no means a waste, and that it will lead to the “correct answer for myself” that awaits in the future. It's a work that makes me want to wholeheartedly cheer for everyone who takes a new step this spring.