Hug Japan May 8, 2011

May 8, 2011

I am involved in a project called Hug Japan which will have an exhibition in New York.


“WE ARE HERE”
 --- Little Voices and Art 311 Japan

May 16th  to 20th, 2011

Gallery at AIGA National Design Center
164 Fifth Avenue (between 21st and 22nd Streets) in New York City

The following are three areas of our exhibition.
・Global Message Relay --- Pitcures Drawn by Childrens of Disaster Areas
・Photo Exhibition --- “The Day, and After”   My photo exhibits of current Onagawa and the portraits of ship carpenters taken by my father.

・A film of Onagawa from the viewpoint of Atsushi Sasaki, which was taken by my husband, Yusuke Suzuki.


An insignificant photographer from the country now coming to the world’s stage!
Never ever thought of such chance would come to show my “Onagawa” photos to the world…

There were reasons for my decision to participate in this project.

First, the paper the children are drawing on.  It is unique Japanese paper called “Kangoshi,” which is a recycle from the paper on which people once wrote Buddhist scriptures in deep thought for special friends, benefactors or family. 

Also drawing pictures are therapeutic to children in disaster areas.  Above all, the sense of connection with the world that these children can feel, knowing that their drawings are seen by people in foreign countries, gives them confidence.  When I heard this, I made up my mind right away.

And my photo exhibits in collaboration with my father.  I have been trying to heal myself by taking photos for the past two months.  Showing the work is having Onagawa known to the world. 

I heard that people who had suffered from the Great Hanshin Earthquake said “being forgotten is the saddest.”  In two months after the earthquake, Onagawa has gone through reconstruction at full speed.  The town is changing so rapidly that it hardly gives us time to mourn for the dead or to be filled with sorrow.  “Onagawa” will soon be forgotten. 
There was time when I thought that my taking photos would do nothing to help the reconstruction of the town.  On the other hand, I thought giving a photo exhibition overseas might be useful.


The Past (Father), the Present (I) and the Future (Children) on an axis of time ….Sounds like an interesting photo exhibit.
I am so honored to be able to exhibit our work at a well-known New York gallery.  Wonder if my parents pushed and backed me up? (or father simply wanted to go to New York himself?) 

This exhibit will go to Paris, France and then continue onto Taiwan. 
I’m looking forward to reporting the exhibit to the children by showing a lot of pictures I take at each exhibition site. 

Oh, I’m so happy that I can be a bridge that connects them to the world.