Media Release
For Immediate Release | April 20, 2017
The Japan Foundation, Sydney in partnership with Head On Photo Festival presents Unseen Everyday Japan, a photo exhibition showing an alternative vision of contemporary Japanese life through Instagram. The photos span from urban street scenes, to more complex social issues.
Documentary photographer Q. Sakamaki curated the images from @EverydayJapan, an Instagram account of the global photography project, The Everyday Projects, which depicts everyday life through the eyes of its contributors. Unseen Everyday Japan will be exhibited at The Japan Foundation Gallery from May 10 to June 9, 2017.
The images in the exhibition capture the unseen stories of human drama and modern life in strongly aestheticized imagery. From snapshots of quiet summertime sunshine to lonely shoebox apartments, the Japanese photographers document a different—but very much real—experience of daily life.
Sakamaki doesn’t believe that shooting with mobile phone cameras devalue photography. For the Time magazine and Newsweek photographer, they are “tools to show the photographer’s view. The most important thing, again, comes from inside the photographer.”
ABOUT Q. SAKAMAKI
Q. Sakamaki is a New York-based Japanese documentary photographer, curator, and educator focusing on human experiences, socio-economic issues, and narratives from war zones. His photographs have appeared in books and magazines worldwide, including Time magazine and Newsweek, and have been the subject of international solo exhibitions. His acclaimed work documenting Liberian child soldiers features in an international campaign. Sakamaki’s work has been awarded the World Press Photo award and two Overseas Press Club prizes. @qsakamaki
ABOUT EVERYDAY JAPAN
Everyday Japan is a photographic project to document stories of everyday life captured by members and contributors on Instagram. It is part of a global project called The Everyday Projects which included @EverydayAfrica, @EverydayAustralia, and more. @EverydayJapan
ABOUT HEAD ON PHOTO FESTIVAL
From mental illness and motherhood, ISIS and nudists, to the nightlife of Kings Cross in the 1970’s and rare and unseen images of David Bowie, Head On Photo Festival returns to Sydney with a stunning array of exhibitions from around the world.
Running from Thursday 5 – Sunday 28 May 2017, Head On Photo Festival is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious photo festivals. Since it began in 2010 the Festival has evolved from 70 events to 180 throughout its program. This year, over 60 featured exhibitions have been nominated as highlights of the Festival.
Editor’s Notes
- Images can be used for editorial purposes, please include the credit line.
- For high-resolution images, please contact us.
Image Credits
Top image: AKO
Venue
The Japan Foundation Gallery
Level 4, Central Park
28 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2010
(Access via lifts)
Gallery Hours
Mon—Fri: 10am-6pm
Sat: 10am-1pm
Closed Sundays
Media Enquiries
Jessica Chow
Phone: (02) 8239 0055
General Enquiries
(02) 8239 0055
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