Hiroyuki Suzuki Photo Exhibit Interview #2

Hiroyuki Suzuki's camera lens has taken him to construction sites around the world in an ambition to capture the instability, energy, beauty and hope – he sees as intrinsic within these sites.

Hiroyuki Suzuki

TJ: How and why did you get interested in this style of photography?
Suzuki: I shoot pictures of buildings, not people. However, my pictures can tell people there was a process that went into the history of a building, and there were people involved in the development and timeline of the building. Although very few of my pictures have people in them, it is my hope that people, who look at my pictures, see that people were involved in the creation of that building or thing.

My sensitivity is very sharp for seeing a picture perfect moment and I can see when 1 +1 = 3 very quickly. In 2006, I instantly captured the moment for a striking picture of a bridge being built where the opposite sides were created, but the middle joining piece was missing. I like to photograph very unusual or shocking moments like that. It’s like making a documentary movie and I feel like I’m like a war journalist. For example, if I see a bridge being built while driving to work in the morning, I know it might look very different when I go back home at night, so I have to quickly react to photograph it as soon as possible.

Here is one example. On October 1st, 2012 there was supposed to be a ceremony to celebrate the renovation of Tokyo Station. However, that day there was a typhoon and the ceremony was canceled. Regardless, I went there and took a picture of an empty stand that was built in front of the station for the ceremony. I normally take black and white photos, but I took that photo in color as the aftermath of the typhoon had brought about a beautiful blue sky. As it was a sad day for all of the people involved to have the renovation ceremony cancelled, I took that photo in color to show the beauty of the day.

TJ: Can you tell us about your recent projects?
Suzuki: I completed a book on the renovation of Tokyo Station and I am beginning to produce a book on the renovation of Tokyo Central Post Office, as well as a series of construction site photos for the past four years since 2009. I have an exhibition called “The Next Level: East Side Access Photography” at Grand Central Station in New York that starts in July.

TJ: Does your wife Junko Koshino’s work in fashion impact your work at all?
Suzuki: She has had a lot of influence on my art, and I want to return the favor. tj

 

建築の瞬間

TJ: この撮影スタイルにこだわるようになった いきさつは?
スズキ: 私は人でなく建物の写真を撮ります。 でも私の写真は、建物の歴史を物語る移り変わ りがあり、建物の発展と来歴に関わった人たち がいたことを、見る人に語りかけることができ ます。私の写真に人間が写りこむことはほとん どないのですが、わずかな例外の場合も、その 建物やモノの創造に関わった人であることを感 じてもらえればと思います。

写真についての完璧な瞬間に対する私の感性は 非常に鋭く、1+1 が3 になる瞬間を即座に見 極めることができます。2006 年には、建設中 の橋の決定的瞬間をとらえました。両側が作 られていて中央の結合部分が欠けた格好の橋で した。私は、そうした普通でない、あるいは衝 撃的な瞬間を撮影したいのです。ドキュメンタ リー映画の制作に通じるところもあり、従軍 ジャーナリストのような気がしています。たと えば、朝の通勤途中に建設中の橋を見かけたと します。夜、家に帰る頃には全く違う光景に

なってしまうのでできるだけ早く写真に収めな ければなりません。こんなこともありました。 2012 年10 月1 日、東京駅の復元記念式典が 予定されていましたが、台風のために中止とな りました。しかし、私は現場に行き、式典のた めに駅の前に設営された無人の会場の写真を撮 りました。普段は白黒写真なのですが、その時 は台風のあとの美しい青い空が印象的だったの でカラーで撮影しました。復元の関係者にとっ ては式典の中止で残念な日になってしまったの で、その日の美しさを残すためにカラーで撮影 したのです。

TJ: 最近のお仕事についてお聞かせください。
スズキ:東京駅復原工事写真集が完成し、東 京中央郵便局の写真集の製作に着手しました。 2009 年から4 年越しの工事記録写真集の製 作も進めています。また、7 月からニューヨー
クのグランドセントラルステーションで「The Next Level: East Side Access Photography」 を開催します。

TJ: 妻であるコシノジュンコさんのお仕事はあ なたの作品に影響を与えていますか。
スズキ:私自身への芸術的影響は大きかったの で、私の写真でそのお返しをしたいと思ってい ます。tj

This article appeared in Issue #271.Click here to order from Amazon

 

Written By:

Hiroyuki Suzuki

Producer, Author and Photographer Hiroyuki Suzuki has produced many Junko Koshino Fashion Collections in Paris, Beijing, New York and the opening dinner event of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2008. A Tokyo Journal columnist, he is also the author of Yuki et Maria, which is the sequel to the opera Madam Butterfly, I Am Myself Promise and A Moment. He began his career as a photographer in 2006 and the core concept of his photography is A Moment. He has photographed construction sites around the world including the Metro of Dubai, Tokyo International Airport, the Tokyo Gate Bridge, the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway and the renovation of Tokyo Train Station. His photograph exhibitions have been held in Washington, D.C., Shanghai, Beijing and numerous locations throughout Japan.



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