At the start of the rainy season, I was invited to participate in GR meet 47 Fukushima as a guest photographer. At my request, the event took place in my hometown of Iwaki. I arrived the day before and had drinks with my family at my parents' house for the first time in a long time. The venue was a large conference room in a commercial building in front of Iwaki Station. I arrived at the station a little early and stopped by the library on the floor below before the gathering. Recalling the time I spent studying there daily during high school, I became lost in thought and ended up being late. The linoleum tabletop, which was almost brand new back then, had accumulated 15 years' worth of wear and tear, and the scratches I had made had long since been replaced.
Fortunately, we received many applications, and after a lottery, more than 20 people gathered. A GR meet consists of a photowalk during the first half and a review of participants' work during the second half. To be honest, I was reluctant to do the one-time review. The reason is simple. In a short, one-time review, both the presenter and the audience have difficulty conveying their thoughts, and the review often ends up being superficial. For this reason, I hold long-term workshops. With this in mind, I started the photowalk, thinking about how to make the review meaningful.
I chose the quiet area across from the station instead of the bustling downtown area in front of it. The area was in the midst of redevelopment, and even the places I used to walk to school had changed dramatically. At GR meets, participants who don't own a GR camera can borrow one (for free. How generous!). I had experience with events where you walk around taking photos on the street or with portfolio reviews, but this was my first event where all the participants used the same camera. It was interesting to see everyone walking around with the same small black device.
After lunch, it was time for the review session. I looked at the participants' photos and talked about them one by one. Rather than focusing on technical aspects, such as whether the photos were good or bad, I tried engaging in dialogue about why the photographer took the photo and what kind of personalities he/she had. I don't know if this approach was appropriate for reviewing freshly taken photos. Those who expected technical critiques might have been dissatisfied. However, within the limited time, I felt like I was able to grasp some of the inner aspects captured in the photos. Personally, it was a good experience.
The participants could decide for themselves whether to join me on the walk. One participant went home as soon as the walk started to photograph the cat, while another rode a bicycle to a faraway spot to take pictures. I thought this freedom of choice enabled them to take unique photos.
I had hoped to do something photography-related in my hometown someday, so this was a very rewarding experience. Thank you very much to everyone who was involved.
Kazuhei Kimura
Born in 1993 in Iwaki, Fukushima. Lives and works in Tokyo. While working in the fields of fashion, film and advertising, he continues to create works that move back and forth between his childhood experiences and his present life. Won the Judges Encouragement Prize (selected by Nozomi Himeno) at the 19th Photography 1_WALL and the Grand Prix at IMA next #6 ‘Black&White'. Major solo exhibitions include 'Ishi to momo (Counterpoint)' (Roll) in 2023 and 'Atarashii mado (The Other Side of the Window)' (Book and Sons) in 2020. Major photobooks include 'Sodemaku' and 'Todai' (both aptp) and 'Atarashii mado (The Other Side of the Window)' (Akaakasha).
Kazuhei Kimura (@kazuheikimura)
