The Unexpected Moments

Featuring Osamu Yokonami Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

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The tension between the collective and the individual is one of the main topics researched in Osamu Yokonami’s work. The collective identity that Osamu explores in his work Assembly, which, among others, includes Kumo, Mizugi, and Snow, comes to propose a different perspective on group dynamics. The challenge to the viewer’s emotions and thoughts surfaces with Osamu’s decision to work with groups, creating the form the group shapes, structuring the distance between each person and the group from the artist. In Kumo and Mizugi, we watch the girls from the back.

The anonymity of the characters put into question the power of the individual, replacing it with the power of the group. The uneasiness that comes from the decisiveness to interpret the frame is juxtaposed the calmness of the moment, of the characters, and nature.

Osamu Yokonami is a Japanese photographer born in Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture, in 1967. In this interview, we speak with Osamu about the shift from documentary to art photography after his graduation. Osamu explains the way in which his hometown affected his approach to photography and aesthetics. “I really love nature, and I can relax in it too, so I mostly choose rural locations. The freedom of nature allows me to create freely.” - Osamu shares. The delicate presence of nature throughout Osamu’s series allows for a deeper and more conceptual narrative to be told. Nature provides a frame to the story and draws an outline that hints at feelings the artist and his characters might experience.

‘For the most part, I took unposed pictures of people in the cities of Osaka and Kyoto. Then I mainly used color film after I graduated from Osaka College of Art.’

My Story

What was your first camera, and which themes fascinated you in the beginning when you only started shooting? How did the themes change after you graduated from the Osaka University of the Arts? 

My first camera was a Canon AE-1P, and I actually used to take pictures in black and white, street pictures of the town, like a documentary style. For the most part, I took unposed pictures of people in the cities of Osaka and Kyoto. Then I mainly used color film after I graduated from Osaka College of Art. So, my style shifted to posed, artistic pictures.

‘I really love nature, and I can relax in it too, so I mostly choose rural locations. The freedom of nature allows me to create freely.’

Tokyo

Growing up in Kyoto, experiencing the Japanese culture, being familiar with the local landscapes, and being aware of the beauty of nature, in what way do you think the location influences your photography and the themes you choose to research? 

I was born and raised in the North of Kyoto, in Maizuru, which is a port town surrounded by mountains. It’s a rural area. Also, this area has heavy rainfall. So I adapted to shooting in all weather conditions. It has influenced my photo style. I really love nature, and I can relax in it too, so I mostly choose rural locations. The freedom of nature allows me to create freely.

‘I like to create visual distance between models in nature to reflect on unexpected moments.’

Collectivism vs. Individualism

You explore the theme of no-identity or collective identity in the main work Assembly, which includes Kumo, Mizugi, Snow, and others, using different photographic techniques. We learn about the power of the collective consciousness, the similarity in the outside appearance that comes in opposition to the individual, and the story of each separate person, which is of no importance to the main narrative. What are the challenges you meet in group shots, or what are the unexpected occurrences that might shift the focus of your plan to telling a slightly different story? 

I like to create visual distance between models in nature to reflect on unexpected moments. In Assembly, I tried to distance the group and gather the group, but keep it similar to Mizugi. In Mizugi at that time, I wanted to capture and feel their body temperature, humidity, and sweat, so I closed the group more than usual to show that life is vivid. In Snow at that time, I would like to depict as simply as possible the connection between models to each other that starts to fade, just like in life.

Group Shots

When working on group shots in Assembly, what is the importance of the casting, choosing individual girls for the shoot? What characteristics are you looking for that will eventually translate to the atmosphere you want to create? 

Most importantly, we want models who want to take part in the project. This project involves hard work with lots of walking, running, jumping for a long period of  time. We also want models with pure minds and an innocent feeling about them. We want them to care and feel enthusiastic.

A Sneak Peek

Could you provide us a sneak peek into the project you’re currently working on or some of the themes in development? 

After eight years, ‘1000 Children’ are now around 13-16 years old. I already took pictures of 167 people.