Exhibition

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.

November 2022 Exhibition: Light Meets Shadow
Photo Exhibition by Krutik Thakur
November 5 - December 2, 2022

©Krutik Thakur

Krutik Thakur is a 21 year old photographer living in a small village on the west coast of India. He selected the motifs of the sun and moon as his main subjects and takes unique images utilizing his imagination and creativity. His first camera was a mobile phone, but by September 2020, he had saved enough money to buy his first real camera. Growing up in era of social media, Krutik is a self-taught photographer who expertly uses his camera as the platform for showcasing his work.

When he started taking his "Light Meets Shadow" pictures, India was in the middle of a pandemic lockdown and it was not possible to travel. After a few successful shoots at his local beach, he soon realized that there was no better place to take all the photos for this series. When the conditions were right, he could be there in minutes with family and friends close at hand to be his models.

October 2022 Exhibition: "The Day of the Dead (The Catrinas of Japan)"
Photo exhibition arises from the joint work between
Rodrigo Reyes Marin (photography) and Nahomi Moriyama (graphic artwork)
October 1 - November 4, 2022

©Rodrigo Reyes Marin & Nahomi Moriyama

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican tradition celebrated from October 31 to November 2 in which our deceased are honored. This conception of celebrating death originated as a syncretism between the Catholic celebrations (from Spain) and indigenous celebrations (from Mexico), a mixture of both cultures.

Centuries later, the fictional character of La Catrina or Calavera Garbancera was added, created by the Mexican illustrator Juan Guadalupe Posada and popularized by the famous Mexican painter Diego Rivera. This character represents the hypocrisy of society towards a sector popularly known as chickpeas, that is, people with indigenous blood who claimed to be Europeans, denying their culture and roots. On the other hand, it also represented the demystification of death.

September 2022 Exhibition: "A Life of Trains: Spotlighting 1950s-60s"
Photo exhibition by Wally Higgins
September 3 - September 30, 2022

©Wally Higgins

Lifelong railway enthusiast Wally Higgins is an American photographer, who, as an adviser for Japan Railways for more than half a century, shot over 6,000 train and tram photographs from the late 1950s. He was honored in 2007 with a Special Award for lifetime achievement from The Photographic Society of Japan.

To celebrate his life’s work, The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ) is holding the “Wally Higgins Photo Exhibition” from September 3-30. Born in New Jersey in 1927, University of Michigan graduate Higgins first came to Japan in 1956 while working as a civilian contractor for the US Navy and Air Force. From the early 1960s, he has been employed as a consultant for the Corporate Planning International Department of the East Japan Railway Company.

August 2022 Exhibition: The Fall of the 'Red Empire' - The Collapse of the Soviet Union / Russian Communism
Photo exhibition by Shisei Kuwabara
August 6 to September 2, 2022

©Shisei Kuwabara

July 2022 Exhibition: Oyako Shashin Matsuri
July 2 to August 5, 2022

People of tundra / © Yulia Nevskaya

In commemoration of OYAKO Day, which is on the 4th Sunday of July, this month's exhibition focuses on the relationships between parents and children. Pictures in the show were taken by the following photographers in countries throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America.

Farhana Akther (Bangladesh)
Daniela Rivera Antara (Peru)
Jamie Brisick (USA)
Hideo Fukuda (Japan)
Robert Gerhardt (USA)
Arshad Ghori (Pakistan)
Mark Edward Harris (USA)
Eikoh Hosoe (Japan)
Asmara Hussain (Pakistan)
Iqbal Khatri (Pakistan)
Kenichi Komatsu (Japan)
Maiko Kuzutani (Japan)
Yulia Nevskaya (Russia)
Chujo Nozumu (Japan)
Bruce Osborn (USA)
Ryo Shimizu (Japan)
Ann Summa (USA)
Kaori Suzuki (Japan)
Anne-Francoise Tasnier (Belgium)
Krutik Thakur (India)
Lisa Vogt (Japan)

June 2022 Exhibition: Rainbows- Day and Night
Photo Exhibition by Junji Takasago
June 4 to July 1, 2022

What is it about witnessing a rainbow that makes us feel so special?
Seeing one always evokes a sense of delight. They are natural phenomenon
that occurs when raindrops act as a prism and divide the sunlight into
seven colors. Hawaii is known as the “Rainbow State” due to their
frequent sightings. If you're lucky, you might catch a rare rainbow that
is only visible by the light of the moon. Observing one in a pitch-dark
sky is breathtaking and something that the Hawaiians have considered to
be a great blessing since ancient times. Regardless of whether they are
seen in the day or night, rainbows are a present from nature,
symbolically bridging our differences and reminding us of the beauty
that exists in the world. With war in Ukraine and many other troubling
things happening around the world, we should take time to appreciate a
rainbow’s magnificence and think of what we can do for peace.