Yasuhiro Ogawa – Flowing

One of Japan’s leading contemporary photographers, Yasuhiro Ogawa seamlessly reinterprets traditional Japanese landscape photography through

Zen Buddhism and the concept of Ku, which views emptiness as a space of infinite potential rather than nothingness, remain key pillars of his work. “The river never stops flowing, and yet the water is never the same,” a credo of the artist derived from Heraclitus, echoes throughout his practice. His works dissolve the constraints of their subjects, becoming lost in translation. They become layers of nature, spirituality and darkness, enveloping a metaphysical temporality. Landscapes become

Ogawa often explores darkness; however, this is not shown through dramatic terror, but rather through a stygian atmosphere that results in a haunting, lingering stillness. Traditional Japanese design celebrates the concept of in’ei, meaning dimness or shadow: the belief that beauty is seen in subdued light, like gold leaf and lacquerware. This concept surfaces in his images, which focus on the poetry of this spectral darkness. Like a story unfinished, Ogawa captures just enough detail to draw you into this other universe, yet the landscapes remain blanketed in a shroud of mystery.

As you move through this world, there is a melancholic feeling of nostalgic eeriness, like a child peering into somewhere they should not, or an incomplete flashback. An apocalyptic, desolate atmosphere generates the sense that the whole picture is not clear, but that glimpse is enough to spark a desire to uncover the depth behind it. It becomes something intangible. This tenebrous tone remains constant throughout his work, layering a contemplative sensibility upon the worlds he captures.