about “Melting Petals”

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about “Melting Petals”

Following is from the gallery.  Thank you EMON!!!

For the first time in four years, Emon is proud to announce an exclusive solo exhibition of the artist, Sarah Fujiwara. Sarah Fujiwara was born in Aichi prefecture, and after building a career in commercial photography, in 1999, she made her debut in the art world. Early on she focused on documentary style but later used her photography to visualize aerial and fluid motifs such as plants in vivid color. Since 2000, she has been based out of both France and Japan and has participated in numerous exhibitions and art fairs. She continues to widen the scope of her activities, recently teaching at Visual Media at Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences.

Fujiwara’s primary work features aspects of the lotus in“Neuma”2012, and three years later the rose in“La vie en rose”. This abstract body of works was shot in large-format instant film, and images were created in a process in which she rubs soil, water or tree bark picked from the location on the surface of the print.

These works could be seen as abstract art, but this is, however, an undoubted straight photo which captures a moment in time. A story which portrays the circulation of life, her photographic style goes beyond the boundaries of both photography and drawing, and her work towards enlarging the possibilities of expression has been well received by collectors in several art fairs such as Fotofever Paris in 2014 and SCOPE in New York, 2015.

For Fujiwara’s latest work“Melting Petals”, the poppy flower she takes as motif the poppy flowers encountered during her stay in France. In this controlled photography, she shoots in experimental ways and bold compositions with vivid opposing colors. After shooting, she peels off the surface of the print with a special solvent and then transfers the image to different paper just as in the technique of copper or wood printing. This transfer reverses the image and according to the artist this process leads her to reach into memory, have a dialogue with herself and revive the happenstance that occurred during shooting. Taking a long time to progress, Fujiwara’s process of work is her own method of expression seeking to understand the unchanging state of matter and the manifestation of“Beauty” and“Order”.

For this exhibition, we introduce new work as well as premier work of the artist’s career from 2011. Emon welcomes you to come and experience the world of Sarah Fujiwara.

[Sarah Fujiwara・Statement]

The first time I photographed this flower was when I was staying in France for an exhibition. My old friends who were a married couple and both sculptors invited me out of pure mischief saying,“We’ll take you to a secret garden.”I accepted their offer, and how long was I in their car heading towards the place.

When we arrived, countless red flowers were waving in the wind, just as if they were beckoning. I couldn’t wait to step out of the car.

Coquelicot, a poppy, is a flower which has several meanings whether in a western or eastern context. Not only for artists like Baudelaire、 this flower attracts a diverse number of people.

Seen from a distance, the blossoms are sweet. But once I step inside, the first impression disappears, and I suddenly notice myself absorbed in pressing the shutter; realizing the glamour of the flower. The colors, the texture of the petals, the movement which comes from the balance of the stem and flower, and the Sauvage fragrance.

The series,“Melting Petals”is an attempt to evoke in photo a re-visualization of the feelings of that time and location. This time, I didn’t use digital composite, painting, or any collage to rebuild layers of memory. I gave priority to the image’s first shot at that moment and then took time in the printing. Fragments accidentally peeled off just like aspects of my memory. I have left the blurs ambiguous, as it truly was.

They took me to the secret garden. I wonder where“Melting Petals” will take you.

[Major Solo-Exhibitions and Art Fairs]

2019 ⦆”Melting Petals” EMON PHOTO GALLERY(Japan)

2019 ⦆Venice International Art Fair (Italy)

2016 ⦆”Insights-New Approaches to Photography Since 2000″ Photo Shanghai (China)

2015 ⦆”La vie en rose” ⦆EMON PHOTO GALLERY (Japan)

2015 ⦆SCOPE NEW YORK (U.S.A)

2014 ⦆Festival PHOTO FOLIES (France) Invited Artist

2014 ⦆”La vie en rose” L’Atelier Blanc (France)

2014 ⦆”Melting petals” Plug Factory Seoul (Korea)

2013 ⦆FOTOFEVER Paris ⦆(France)

2013 ⦆FOTOFEVER Bruxelles (Belgium)

2012 ⦆”Neuma” EMON PHOTO GALLERY (Japan)

2010 ⦆”FLOW” ⦆Maison du Chevalier (France)

and more

[Public Collections]

THE YAMAZAKI MAZAK MUSEUM OF ART 

Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts (KMOPA)