Opened late October 2009, Izu Photo Museum is the latest piece in the cultural puzzle (pictured below) that Clematis No Oka is.
Here's the thread that led us there:
"The Clematis no Oka is a multi-cultural facility
of art and nature that opened in April 2002 with "Flowers, Art Museums,
Slow Food" as its theme. Its mission is to preserve and pass on the
wonderful art and culture to the next generation. There are 2 art
museums and a literary museum, restaurants and cafe supervised by
renowned chefs, museum stores and a nature park scattered over the
Clematis no Oka.
Within the premises are the Bernard Buffet Museum and the Literary
Museum for Yasushi Inoue, which opened in 1973, the Vangi Sculpture
Garden Museum (MUSEO VANGI), which opened in April 2002, and the IZU
PHOTO MUSEUM, whichi opend in October 2009. In the Garden Museum, the
Clematis Garden was created, where a large number and variety of
clematis can be admired."
of art and nature that opened in April 2002 with "Flowers, Art Museums,
Slow Food" as its theme. Its mission is to preserve and pass on the
wonderful art and culture to the next generation. There are 2 art
museums and a literary museum, restaurants and cafe supervised by
renowned chefs, museum stores and a nature park scattered over the
Clematis no Oka.
Within the premises are the Bernard Buffet Museum and the Literary
Museum for Yasushi Inoue, which opened in 1973, the Vangi Sculpture
Garden Museum (MUSEO VANGI), which opened in April 2002, and the IZU
PHOTO MUSEUM, whichi opend in October 2009. In the Garden Museum, the
Clematis Garden was created, where a large number and variety of
clematis can be admired."
We now know where the name originated or found its roots.
As for the Izu Photo Museum which opened on October 26, 2009, its inaugural exhibition 'Nature of Light' is the work of Hiroshi Sugimoto who also designed the museum's interiors as well as its gardens.
What the exhibit is in museum's own words:
"It comprises a collection of photographs that pay homage to the work of photography pioneer William Henry Fox Talbot.
Titled “Photogenic Drawing, ” these photographs were printed from paper negatives produced
by Talbot 170 years ago. Sugimoto has effectively played variations on the original scores
provided by Talbot’s negatives, transferring to a different medium images that would
otherwise disappear and be lost to obscurity.
“Lightening Fields” are prints in which the light is burned in directly by applying electrical
current to the film. The inspiration for this technique comes from “aborted discharge”
experiments by Talbot, who was also a scientist.
To create “Lightning Fields,” Sugimoto ran electric current directly over the film and printed
the results. This series is also related to Talbot since it recalls the experiments that he carried
out—and eventually discontinued—with electrical discharge in his work as a scientist. The
title of the exhibition, HIROSHI SUGIMOTO: NATURE OF LIGHT, resonates with Talbot's
The Pencil of Nature, the first book to be illustrated with photographs, recalling the original
means by which photography portraits were made. We hope you will enjoy this requiem to
silver nitrate photography created by a contemporary artist who has long been involved in
making photographs about photographs.
The exhibition is includes eleven works of “Photogenic Drawing,” and a pair of six-paneled
screens entitled Lightening Fields Composed 011 ()."
Titled “Photogenic Drawing, ” these photographs were printed from paper negatives produced
by Talbot 170 years ago. Sugimoto has effectively played variations on the original scores
provided by Talbot’s negatives, transferring to a different medium images that would
otherwise disappear and be lost to obscurity.
“Lightening Fields” are prints in which the light is burned in directly by applying electrical
current to the film. The inspiration for this technique comes from “aborted discharge”
experiments by Talbot, who was also a scientist.
To create “Lightning Fields,” Sugimoto ran electric current directly over the film and printed
the results. This series is also related to Talbot since it recalls the experiments that he carried
out—and eventually discontinued—with electrical discharge in his work as a scientist. The
title of the exhibition, HIROSHI SUGIMOTO: NATURE OF LIGHT, resonates with Talbot's
The Pencil of Nature, the first book to be illustrated with photographs, recalling the original
means by which photography portraits were made. We hope you will enjoy this requiem to
silver nitrate photography created by a contemporary artist who has long been involved in
making photographs about photographs.
The exhibition is includes eleven works of “Photogenic Drawing,” and a pair of six-paneled
screens entitled Lightening Fields Composed 011 ()."
In the Shadow of Mount Fuji for Tokyo Thursdays # 114
Previously: Health and Nutrition get a Boost with Superfood Buffet at Westin Tokyo, until Nov 30