Daido Moriyama Speaks Passionately on "The Times"! trialog vol.7 Event Details

■ Opening
Sony, in collaboration with Tokyu Corporation and Daido Moriyama, is hosting the art co-creation project "SHIBUYA / Daido Moriyama / NEXT GEN" to discover and support next-generation creators. On Tuesday, July 30, just before the main exhibition's opening, Moriyama was invited to "trialog." Based on Wakabayashi's hypothesis that "to remain active at the forefront for over 50 years, perhaps it's important not to be too tied to the present era," a discussion was held with Moriyama and Mr. Nagasawa about "the role of photography amidst changing times."

- Talk Session: "TIMES-The Times-"
Daido Moriyama x Akio Nagasawa x Keisuke Wakabayashi

■ The City as a Stadium of Desire: The Role of Photography Amidst Changing Times
Moriyama and Nagasawa spoke about photography, stating, "While cameras are equally accessible to everyone, even if 100 people use the same camera to photograph the same subject, no two photographs will be identical. Because the subject and camera are the same, the individual's unique personality, habits, history, and memories—their 'self'—are captured in that single photograph. Photography reveals even that which lies deep within one's feelings, things one doesn't normally notice."
Moriyama also believes, "While photography is often thought of as capturing decisive moments, every moment is a continuous stream of the extraordinary, and any moment can be a photo opportunity." Nagasawa surmised that it is precisely this way of confronting the world daily that leads to great work.

Moriyama mentioned his fondness for things that carry a sense of the illicit, like Shinjuku's Kabukicho or New York's Times Square. When Wakabayashi asked, "As Shibuya and Shinjuku are developed and become cleaner, aren't the interesting, illicit aspects of the past diminishing?" Moriyama replied, "A photographer can only capture the present. Therefore, if you don't find interest in the ever-changing now, it's meaningless. There's no time to dwell on 'the good old days.'" He added, "Human desires remain insatiable regardless of the era. The city is where those desires swirl chaotically—a stadium of desire. One cannot help but photograph it." This is likely why he never tires of walking through the same places and continuing to document them.

Moriyama consistently creates new work without relying on past achievements. During the Q&A session, a participant asked, "What do you think of an era where photos are taken with smartphones and mobile phones?" He responded, "I don't use a mobile phone myself, but I think it's a good thing that various people can easily take photos. Photography isn't just for artists. The more photographs there are in the world, the better. It's a 'record of the world.' So please, everyone, take more photos."

Photo Left: From left, Keisuke Wakabayashi, Daido Moriyama, Akio Nagasawa
Photo Right: machìna

Furthermore, trialog vol.8 is scheduled to be held on Sunday, September 15, 2019, at Shibuya Hikarie as part of "SOCIAL INNOVATION WEEK SHIBUYA 2019." This event will explore the theme "Alt.Rules - Alternative Rules / Alternative of Rules" with a diverse panel of speakers. Tickets will go on sale in mid-August. Detailed information will be updated regularly.

Moving forward, trialog will continue to conduct regular events as an experimental creative platform for the next generation.

○ What is trialog?

trialog is a platform for "dialogue" aimed at the next generation. Instead of the "binary oppositions" that divide society, trialog creates a space for "dialogue among three parties" where individuals with different perspectives can exchange opinions. Through these discussions, we delve into "what kind of future we truly desire" and hold talk events to consider free and creative ways of living for the next generation and the shape of that future. The events are live-streamed on the official trialog Twitter account, and viewers can participate in the dialogue by posting real-time comments online. Archived videos are made available on the official website after the event.

■ trialog Website:https://trialog-project.com/
■ trialog Concept Movie:https://youtu.be/HCCtF9JQJP4
■ trialog Past Event Articles:https://trialog-project.com/article/