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The Gaze of the Present

Contemporary Japanese Photography vol. 21

Oct. 17, 2024—Jan. 19, 2025

• Oct. 17, 2024—Jan. 19, 2025
• Closed Mondays (except when Monday falls on a holiday, in which case the museum is open and closed the following day), New Year’s holidays(12/29-1/1)
• Admission：Adults ￥700(560)／College Students ￥560(440)／High School and Junior High School Students, Over 65 ￥350(280) *Prices in parenthesis apply to groups of 20 or more. (Reservation is required.) *Free for grade school children or younger, junior high school students living or attending schools in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and holders of Japan’s disability identification cards (shogaisha techo) together with two caregiver. *Those over 65 years old receive free admission on the third Wednesday of every month by presenting proof of age at the ticket counter.

At the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, we support the creative spirit of embracing new possibilities in photography and moving images, and have been committed to discovering promising artists and offering a platform for innovative endeavors through exhibitions of contemporary Japanese photography since 2002.
The 21st The Gaze of the Present exhibition features five photographers who re-examine social, environmental, and interpersonal relationships from their own perspectives and present viewers with fragments of the world through their photography.
The artists are Otaguro Emi, who employs photography as a means of pausing time and focusing on the humble living creatures and everyday objects around her; Kanno Sayuri, who continuously observes and documents the ever-changing temporary landscapes of her local area; Chiga Kenji, who unveils aspects of reality through a mix of documentary perspectives and fictive images; Kanagawa Shingo, who captures distances and relationships between individuals without being confined by convention; and Harada Yuki, whose works evoke memories in viewers through scenes once witnessed by others. Having chosen photography as their medium, these artists cast flexible gazes upon our present, offering different perspectives on the world we all share today. We hope this exhibition serves as an opportunity to re-examine the possibilities of present and future photography through the diverse endeavors of these five artists.

Exhibiting Artists |
Otaguro Emi, Kanno Sayuri, Chiga Kenji, Kanagawa Shingo, Harada Yuki


Otaguro Emi, sun bath, 2023, Collection of the artist ©Emi Otaguro


Kanno Sayuri, from the series New Standard Landscape, 2022, Collection of the artist ©Sayuri Kanno


Chiga Kenji, from the series HIJACK GEN, 2021, Collection of the artist ©Kenji Chiga


Kanagawa Shingo, from the series father, 2009, Collection of the artist ©Shingo Kanagawa


Harada Yuki, One Million Seeings, 2019, Collection of the artist ©Yuki Harada

*The schedule is subject to change. Any further changes will be announced.

Organized by Tokyo Photographic Art Museum operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, The Tokyo Shimbun
Sponsored by the Corporate Membership of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum


The English version of the Chronology of Photography-Related Events in this exhibition catalog is here.