Kenji Hirasawa – by Sophie Joy Wright

Dear Diane and Shaded Viewers,

In 2011, Japanese photographer Kenji Hirasawa met Diane and took her photo. It was the only time in Kenji’s career that he has taken a photo of someone who isn’t his very close friend, and it was only because of Diane’s “special sympathy and familiarity somehow” that made him do so on this one encounter.

 

“I only take photos of my close people. I want to record their existence and for it to stay in history. This is how I appreciate them.”

 

Though Kenji’s subjects are barely decipherable in his works, as he uses a thermography camera that identifies temperature rather than visible light. This technique gives his images a stark radiance, but at the same time through knowing the motivation of Kenji’s photos, they hold also a lovely sense of soft romance.

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“People misunderstand me easily because I use a different camera. But photography is about documentary, and I’m just documenting people; keeping their existence in history. If we use a normal camera, it’s just a reflection of light from an external light resource. But with my camera I capture heat that’s emitted from inside. What I appreciate it human aliveness”

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If you’re lucky enough to visit Diane’s apartment in Paris, you’ll see Kenji’s photo that emits a certain reciprocal warm-heartedness.

If not, visit Kenji’s works alongside a few other great Japanese image-makers at ArtLigue (9 rue des Arquebusiers, 75003 Paris) until 28 December 2013.

 

http://www.kenjihirasawa.com/

http://www.artligue.fr

 

Happy Tuesday,

Sophie

 

 

 

mm
Sophie Joy Wright

@sophiejoywright

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