Life

Yoichiro Nishimura

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The images from the “Life” series are the result of years of experimentation by Nishimura. Using dark settings, the flowers are photographed under natural light using a Hasselblad camera, the resulting images are Nishimura’s interpretation of ‘Ikebana’ the Japanese art of flower arranging. The balance between light and dark without the noisy interference of color, leaves the viewer to contemplate, to reflect on the balance between life and death, and the Chinese principles of yin and yang.

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“It’s Life, but when you look at the photos it’s monochrome or black and white. We sometimes attribute Life to a colorful event, things, or life, so why is it Black and White?

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I feel that the gradation of a monochrome photograph encompasses all colors, resonates with both the conscious and unconscious minds, and deepens the image. No matter how many times you look at it it, you will never get tired of it, and it has the power to shake our heart.” 

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Born in Tokyo in 1967, Nishimura completed Photography course at Bigakko and became a photographer’s assistant before becoming a freelance photographer in 1990. Nishimura uses camera technology as a means of creating art. He is most known for his experimentation with camera-less photography, particularly photogram and scangram, a digital incarnation of photogram which he developed. Subjects for his photography include plants, water, insects and nudes.