Issue:

November 2024 | Exhibition

Photography by Makiko Ui

For the month of November, the FCCJ welcomes veteran Ainu photographer Makiko Ui and her extensive range of Ainu works. Since 1992, she has been photographing the Ainu people across Japan with the hope of "being an accompanist" for their cause and culture. She began photographing the Ainu people when she saw an article about the construction of a dam on sacred Ainu land in Hokkaido, and has continued shooting ever since. 

Lecture and Reception

  • Date: Thursday, November 14, doors open 6:30 pm
  • Starts 7 pm Members: ¥1,000
  • Guests/non-members: ¥2,000 (includes one drink)

Ui has shown her work in photo exhibitions nationwide as well as the National Geographic Store in London, but remains frustrated that she could not fully convey the current situation of the Ainu people. In an effort to advance her goals, she launched a project in 2009 to photograph 100 Ainu groups in 100 locations, compiling a collection of photographs in order to convey the "now" of the Ainu living in every corner of Japan.

In this project, each subject decided on the photographic location and costume for their portrait shoot. One request she placed on each participant was that they introduce the next set of Ainu subjects, so over a seven year period from 2009 to 2016, she succeeded in connecting 100 Ainu people through photographs.

Wanting to convey the dreams and aspirations of these people, Ui also collected a short comment from each person which she compiled into a book called "Ainu, 100 People Now” which will be displayed along with this exhibition. A graduate of the Japan College of Photography, Ui is currently working on her second series of photographs, traveling the country and searching for subjects.

She has received several awards including the 4th Sagamihara Photography Newcomer Encouragement Award, the 28th Higashikawa Prize for Special Artist, and the 1st Tsuneko Sasamoto Photography Prize. She’s also a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society and a lecturer at the Japan College of Photography and Art.

On October 14, she will give a lecture on the Ainu in modern day Japan, and then a reception will follow. We invite you to come and bring your friends. 

Peter Lyon, Chair, Exhibition Committee