Discover Heartfelt Photography at the Art Book Fair #Images Osaka 2024 | ISSUE #26

#Images Osaka 2024 is an art book exhibition centered around photography, organized by the offline community PiX Cypher. It showcases photo books, self-published books, and dummy books, providing a valuable platform for photographers and artists to express their concepts and thoughts through their works.

The exhibition aims to offer not only an appreciation of works but also a space for dialogue between creators and audiences, fostering a deeper understanding of photographic expression.

Following an interview with PiX Cypher's representative, Mr. Takano, the cizucu editorial team visited the #Images Osaka 2024 event venue. On the day, over 100 photo books were gathered, offering a rare opportunity to engage directly with creators. The passionate discussions about photography in a neutral and open space left a deep impression.

We spoke with several exhibitors about their daily activities and the atmosphere of the event.

Based in Kansai, the photo publishing label 'moment' was established by professional photographer Mr. Hayashi. 'Solo exhibitions are vibrant and wonderful at the moment, but once they end, it's hard to revisit those works. That's why preserving them in books holds great value,' says Mr. Hayashi.

In just over a year since its establishment, it has released 24 photo books, gaining attention for its speed and quality. With unique designs reminiscent of movie pamphlets, it focuses on leaving works as tangible objects through a swift production process.

For artists and authors, editing and binding photo books is a challenge. 'moment' supports this process, making creative output easier. Unlike the immediacy of social media, it focuses on leaving works that can be enjoyed over time. This casual output assistance is greatly appreciated from the creators' perspective.

Photographer Mr. Misumi works on web and app development during weekdays and captures everything he sees, from street photos to portraits and landscapes, on weekends. The photo book 'Festival Bonds' exhibited at #Images Osaka 2024 is an interim report of works born from a six-month journey across Japan's festivals.

Among the many photos, one particularly memorable shot was taken at a festival in Fukuoka. 'The moment of reunion and joy at a festival held after a long time left a strong impression. The people there seemed to forget their worries and purely enjoy the moment,' says Mr. Misumi, reaffirming the importance of capturing human connections through photography and encountering the theme of 'Festival Bonds'.

During the process of photographing festivals, he challenged many 'firsts'. 'By directly approaching festival performers and obtaining permission to photograph, I captured very valuable photos. I learned the importance of interacting directly with people while photographing, moving away from a previously reserved shooting style,' he reflects.

'I selected festival photos not just for their beauty but for conveying the atmosphere and emotions of the people,' he says.

His passionate photo exhibition 'Festival Bonds' is scheduled to be held from March 6 to March 10, 2024, at Gallery room305 in Osaka. Mr. Misumi plans to continue photographing festivals in the future. Through the 'Festival Bonds' exhibition, visitors can look forward to reflecting on his journey so far and anticipating his ongoing exploration and growth.

Be sure to visit the exhibition and experience the 'Festival Bonds' in Mr. Misumi's journey.

Through the #Images Osaka 2024 exhibition, Mr. Washizaki, involved in the community management of PiX Cypher, strongly felt the unique charm of photo books and art books and the deep emotion conveyed through physical works.

'The weight in your hands lets you experience the stories and passion embedded in each photograph. There is a raw energy that cannot be conveyed through a digital screen,' he passionately explains.

The exhibition is an important place where creators and viewers can directly discuss. While viewing the works, it is a precious opportunity to deeply reflect on the creator's intentions and one's own emotions, fostering mutual understanding and opening new perspectives.

Based on the insights gained from this exhibition, PiX Cypher is stepping into the next phase.

'In the future, we aim to expand the scale of exhibitions and bring the world of photography to more people. Especially for those who have few opportunities to enjoy photography in their daily lives, we want to convey the depth and enjoyment of photography and increase new fans,' says Mr. Takano, the representative, sharing his vision.

There are also plans to strengthen collaboration with online platforms and utilize social media to showcase the new appeal of photographic culture. 'By leveraging the strengths of both digital and analog, we want to expand the community through photography. By believing in the power of photography and pursuing its possibilities, we aim to contribute to the further development of photographic culture,' he shared his future vision.

Their activities will be a journey to convey the new charm of photography to a wide audience and explore the infinite possibilities of photographic expression.