ART | "Masaharu Ueda and Jacques Henri Lartigue: Playing with Photography"
ART│Two “Great Amateur Photographers” of Pure, Free, and Mysterious Charm
Tokyo Photographic Art Museum: "Masaharu Uehara and Jacques Henri Lartigue – Playing with Photography –"
Masaharu Uehara (1913-2000) and Jacques Henri Lartigue (1894-1986) are known as "great amateur photographers." The exhibition "Masaharu Uehara and Jacques Henri Lartigue – Playing with Photography –," which features their works together, will be held at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum from Saturday, November 23, to Sunday, January 26, 2014.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Uehara, who photographed in the Tottori Sand Dunes, and Lartigue, who captured everyday life
The works of Masaharu Uehara and Jacques Henri Lartigue possess a pure, free, and mysterious charm that captivates the viewer. This exhibition, by juxtaposing the works of these two artists who pursued photography with pure enjoyment and an amateur spirit throughout their lives, poses the question: "What is photography to humankind?"
Masaharu Uehara, while running a commercial photography studio in his hometown of Tottori, gained recognition for his staged photographs featuring family members and others against the backdrop of the Tottori Sand Dunes. He achieved numerous awards in monthly contests for magazines like "Asahi Camera," becoming known for his modern compositional expressions.
Jacques Henri Lartigue, on the other hand, grew up in a wealthy family and captured snapshots of the happy daily lives of his family and friends, as well as sporting events, compiling them into albums. These works unexpectedly garnered attention, and a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York in 1963 led to international acclaim.
This exhibition, organized by the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum and the Jacques Henri Lartigue Foundation, stems from the fact that Uehara was once a great admirer of Lartigue's work. The venue will primarily display representative works by Uehara from the 1930s to 1950s and his Tottori Sand Dunes series from the museum's collection. The Jacques Henri Lartigue Foundation will contribute a curated selection from its extensive collection, introducing a total of 176 pieces.
This exhibition invites viewers not only to appreciate the achievements of these great photographers but also to consider, both individually and comparatively, how their works were unique during the mature period of modern photographic expression and how they captured the spirit of their times. By witnessing the free expression and unique worlds they created, perhaps we too will feel inspired to pick up a camera.
"Masaharu Uehara and Jacques Henri Lartigue – Playing with Photography –"
Dates: Saturday, November 23 – Sunday, January 26, 2014
*Closed Mondays, except when Monday is a public holiday, in which case the following Tuesday will be closed. December 29 – January 1.
Hours: 10:00–18:00 (*Thursdays and Fridays until 20:00; January 2-3 until 18:00)
Venue: Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
1-13-3 Mita, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Ebisu Garden Place
Tel. 03-3280-0099
Admission: General ¥700, Students ¥600, Junior High/High School Students & Seniors (65+) ¥500
Talk by Guest and Curator
Date: Saturday, November 23
Time: 15:00–17:00
Venue: Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Speakers: Martine d’Astier (Jacques Henri Lartigue Foundation), Ryuichi Kaneko (Senior Researcher, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum)
Moderator: Yoshiko Suzuki (Curator, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum)
Capacity: 70 people (*Numbered tickets will be distributed at the reception from 10:00 on the day of the event)
Floor Lecture by Curator
Date: First and third Fridays during the exhibition period
Time: 16:00–