Seeing Beyond Things - Towards a New Perspective on Photograp / Kiyoji Otsuji

Kiyoji Otsuji

A member of the postwar Japanese avant-garde art groups "Experimental Studio" and "Graphic Collective," a photographer who witnessed and documented the diverse trends of his time in art, music, theater, dance, and architecture, and a brilliant essayist who offered his unique perspective in magazines such as "Asahi Camera" and "Camera Mainichi, An educator who fostered many younger generations at the forefront of photographic education, Kiyoji Otsuji (1923-2001) was a photographer who continued to pursue photographic expression with a spirit of experimentation based on a tireless spirit of inquiry while leaving behind solid achievements in a variety of fields. On the other hand, Otsuji's wide-ranging and multifaceted work is difficult to sum up in a few words, and even now, 100 years after his birth, there is still the possibility of exploring the essence of his expression.

The comprehensive examination of the works themselves and their surrounding materials to trace the process of production is an important stepping stone to clarify the origin of the photographer's interest and thoughts on what he was looking at and how he approached the subject matter. In particular, the series of frames recorded on film provides a glimpse into the trials and tribulations behind the work and the subtleties that developed between the photographer and his subjects.