Exhibition

September 2023 EXHIBITION: "Wildlife of the Kenyan Savanna"
Photos by Yasushi Onishi
September 2- September 29, 2023 (caution: ending a week earlier comparing notified date in the first notice)

© Yasushi Onishi

Thirty-four years ago, I visited the Masai Mara savanna in Kenya, East Africa for the first time. The wonders of this magical place immediately captured my imagination and I’ve been back to photograph the wildlife more than 40 times since. When I think of Masai Mara, I think of white clouds playfully floating in a deep blue sky, endless green grasslands, beautiful sunrises and mesmerizing sunsets, and of course the wild animals I enjoy photographing so much. The Corona pandemic kept me away from Africa for three and a half years, but I finally made it back this year and reconnected with the savanna and its wildlife. From my exhibit I hope you can feel their charm and maybe even be tempted to visit Kenya one day soon.

YASUSHI ONISHI

August 2023 Exhibition:: 24 Heures du Mans: To the Limit – and Beyond (1967-1971)
Photos by Joe Honda
August 5- September 1, 2023

Copyright©Joe Honda Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Joe Honda brings to life the people, marques and memories that have shaped one of the most iconic endurance races in the world as it marks its centenary.

Established in 1923 as a "Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency," Le Mans allowed car manufacturers to prove the durability of their machines in competition. The endurance race – famous for its legacy of brutally testing drivers and their teams – has one condition for victory: the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours is the winner.

An exhibition of Joe Honda's photographs – supported by La Maison Franco-Japonaise, the French Embassy in Japan and Shashin Kosha – reflects back on the 'golden age' of Le Mans, marked by the final years of the dramatic Ford-Ferrari duel until the Porsche's new contender, the 917, arrived on the scene.

By transporting the viewer back to these years when Europe faced off against America, Honda's photography commemorates some of the people and technology that played a crucial role in shaping today's global automotive industry.

July 2023 Exhibition: Oyako Shashin Matsuri
July 1- August 4, 2023

©Anne-Francoise Tasnier

The OYAKO Shashin Matsuri is in commemoration of OYAKO Day, which takes place on the fourth Sunday of July each year. This is the 4th time to hold this exhibition by the following photographers at the FCCJ depicting various scenes of parents and children in locations  around the world.

June 2023 Exhibition: NATURE CALLS
Photos by Bruce Osborn
June 3 - June 30, 2023

©Bruce Osborn

The objects in this exhibition were collected from the beach near my home in Hayama. Like an archaeologist studying past civilizations, I am fascinated by the items that wash ashore, revealing the ongoing conflict between nature and our consumer-driven society. Plastic pollution in our oceans is causing significant harm to marine life. Birds, fish, and other sea creatures mistake these objects for food, leading to severe health issues and starvation. As plastics break down into microplastics, the consequences cascade through the food chain, affecting smaller species. Astonishingly, the majority of this rubbish originates not from beaches or dumping at sea, but is urban waste that finds its way to the ocean via storm drains and rivers.

April 2023 Exhibition:Sakura Journey
Photographs by Kazuto Nakanishi
April 8 - May 2, 2023

@ Kazuto Nakanishi

March 2023 Exhibition: Fight for Life, Health and Future;
Ukrainian healthcare system in Russian-Ukrainian war
March 4 - April 7, 2023

©Uliana Minaieva, MD

In terms of destruction, war is similar to a disaster in that it lasts long and requires a lot of resources. But unlike natural disasters, war is not an accident - invaders have the intention to destroy, kill and control. The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine targets not only military objects but also civilian infrastructure: energy and water supply facilities, and housing blocks. The fact that medical institutions are also the target of the Russian army violates International Humanitarian Law as well.

The medical system in Ukraine was forced to change gradually during the past 9 years of the Russian-Ukrainian war. This allowed it to adapt in February 2022, when the full scale war began, and provide patients with  necessary medical care. Nonetheless, it faces many problems caused by constant shelling, the intended destruction of critical infrastructure and a shortage of resources as well as the intended murder, abduction and hostage-taking of health personnel and patients.

February 2023 Exhibition: UMUI Photo Exhibition by Everett Kennedy Brown
February 4 - March 3, 2023

©Everett Kennedy Brown

Over the centuries the Okinawan people have learned to protect their spiritual treasures from powerful invaders. It is perhaps their humility and tenacious spirit that is expressed in this word, Umui, that has enabled them to survive the most severe hardships, both natural and political. I believe the time has come to introduce the deep and gentle spiritual tradition of the Okinawan people. It is important not only for the Okinawan people and their descendants; it is also important in light of the geopolitical changes we are now seeing in East Asia.

Bruce Osborn Exhibition Committee Chair
Peter Lyon Exhibition Co-Chair

January 2023 Exhibition: Year of the Rabbit
Group exhibition
Jan. 7 - Feb. 3, 2023

©Kaori Uchiyama

Welcome to 2023, the Year of the Rabbit, the 4th animal in the 12-year cycle. The rabbit may lack the fierceness of last year's Tiger to confront challenges, but it makes up for it with talent and wit for outsmarting adversaries. As we continue the struggle with COVID, the war in Ukraine, global warming, inflation, and other problems, let's hope that our furry friend can guide us towards clever solutions. In celebration of the new year, this January will feature a group exhibition at the FCCJ by artists in different locations around the globe.

Bruce Osborn Exhibition Committee Chair
Peter Lyon Exhibition Co-Chair

December 2022 Exhibition: Song of Izumo
Textile Art by Mutsuko Yawatagaki
December 3 - January  6, 2023

©Mutsuko Yawatagaki

Mutsuko Yawatagaki is a native of Shimane Prefecture, a beautiful part of western Japan along the Japan Sea coast. It is one of the least　populous and least visited areas of the country yet figures prominently in early chronicles and mythology as the very birthplace of Japan. Drawing inspiration from this rich local culture, Yawatagaki creates large-scale pictorial wall hangings using a combination of western and Asian handwork techniques. She works almost exclusively with traditional Japanese fabrics, carefully salvaged from antique kimono and obi that are themselves works of art.

In repurposing kimono, Yawatagaki gives new life to fabric that is no longer worn and enjoyed. She hopes people will see, in her works, not only what she has created but also the contributions of the many artisans who had a part in the making of each kimono. Many of the silks have woven patterns of auspicious motifs such as tortoises and cranes. Not only are they imbued with meaning, but they change with the light, lending further interest to the compositions.