Photo Exhibition

Last week the art teacher at my school asked me to submit some artwork for a local exhibition of art teachers' work, which was flattering to say the least. I selected three photos and mounted them in frames, and on Saturday went along to the venue (in the thick snow) to check out the rest of the exhibits. It was smaller than I'd previously thought, but packed with some varied and interesting works from local teachers. I was proud to be a part of it.

Photo's 1 and 2 I mounted in the same frame and called it "Country of contrast." Photo 1 is from the 2010 Nozawaonsen fire festival. Rural Japan is, certainly where I live, very quiet and peaceful, and I was struck at the time by how "violent" the festival entertain was. Looking back at my photos I was reminded of the show and shortlisted the photo from a few others. Photo 2 is from a tea ceremony I went to in Autumn 2009. The sakura in the bottom of the tea cup looked so peaceful and serene, and when combined with the fire festival photo seemed to conjure up a contrasting snapshot of Japanese culture.

"Country of contrast."


Photo 1


Photo 2

Photo 3 is ok a tree that stands next to the swimming pool at my Junior High. I walk past it every day from the carpark to the school building and every day I take a good long look at it. Subsequently I have been taking shots of it in all types of weather and of course the four seasons; I expect I'll be making a photo composition of them sometime this year. This particular shot is from September 2010 I think.

I called it "A safe place."


Photo 3


At the exhibition

Nozawa onsen fire festival

Less than 24 hours after the snow festival we were heading to the far north of Nagano to Nozawa onsen for the famous Dosojin Matsuri. Famous for it's world-class ski resorts and hot water onsens, every January Nozawa onsen hosts this crazy traditional festival.

Dangerous and somewhat violent, god alone knows how this festival is 'allowed', but nonetheless it happens. Only men from the village are allowed to take part, but it is watched but a massive, tightly-packed crowd of people from all over the place, including many foreigners and visitors to the country.

The festival consists of a giant wooden 'fort', build from lengths of wood and branches, as far as I could see. It stood about as high as a standard UK house, and perched on top are the 'elders' (42-year-olds) shouting "Bring the fire! Bring the fire!", as the 25-years-olds down below "defend" the fort from the "attackers", which consisted of waves of children from toddlers to 20-something-year-olds brandishing burning branches, staves, etc (I know! I know!). This "attack" lasts almost two hours, at which point the attackers have got close enough to set the fort properly alight. The elders on top scramble down a ladder, and the entire audience watches as the flames take hold and the fort eventually collapses. Then, two giant banners bearing the names of all the newborn children in the village are thrown into the flames (presumably for good luck, or at least I hope!) and everybody cheers loudly for the millionth time.

The spectacle is certainly something to see, everyone is in high spirits and enjoys themselves (some a little too much). We had a fantastic time, and to add to the festival the snow didn't snow pouring all night. We literally had to dig the car out of the snow when we left and push it up hills to get out of the village. A great evening.


The newborn banners on the left and right


Violent and young


Burn baby, burn (disco inferno?)