Looking at the history of film of any country reveals an important connection between film and literature. In the more than 100 years of Japanese film history, we can see that many film directors and scriptwriters were influenced by various forms of literature. Coinciding with the new series of screenings, "Japanese Literature in Film," this exhibition explores how literature has influenced and been "interpreted" into film. Posters and still photographs from the NFC's collection are on display to introduce the cultural background behind this cross-disciplinary exchange. This is the first edition of the series, focusing mainly on works from the Meiji and Taisho periods. -Gallery talks are scheduled during the exhibition period. Details will be posted on their website soon. -"Japanese Literature in Film" Screenings: April 18th (Fri) - May 4th (Sun)

5F Entertainment Exhibition "Tent 4" Dates: July 16th (Wed)-July 19th (Sat) Times: July 16th 15:00-19:00, July 17th & 18th 11:00-19:00, July 19th 11:00-15:30 & 16:00-19:00 (Tent 4 ending parade) Fee: ¥500 Genre: 2D, 3D, Spatial Representation HP: Exhibition Website 6F Toshiyuki Furuya "Inner Sight" Dates & Times: July 15th (Tue)-July 20th (Sun) 11:00-19:00 (last day until 17:00) Genre: Photography

48th Harbor Artists Exhibition -Gallery 1F & 2F -Oil, watercolor painting, print. -80 works -Opens at 13:00 on the first day. 29th "Photo 2008" -Gallery 3F A, B -Photography -330 works -Opens at 13:00 on the first day. 37th Kanagawa Creation Exhibition -Gallery 3F C -Oil, watercolor, nihonga paintings, sculpture, crafts, etc. -80 works -Opens at 13:00 on the first day

Photography Exhibition "Lights, Shadows and Memories Crossing Each Other" Featuring works by 15 artists including Erika Yoshino's new photo works and slide show "Party of Light". Approximately 450 works. -Location: Exhibition Rooms on 1F & 2F -Times: 10:00-19:00. -Contact: Lights, Shadows and Memories Crossing Each Other Exhibition Executive Committee 045-563-3077

1F -"History Road - Tracing Generations of Iron Horses" Looks back on the 105 year-old history of Harley Davidson, with a variety of exhibited works such as Haley bikes, video, advertisements and painting. 3F -"Memorial Road -Rushing Through Showa Era" Iron horses were introduced full-scale to Japan at the beginning of the Showa era. This exhibition will bring back memories of the time with a presentation of photographs capturing these historic moments.

Live event filling the space of High-Kyo with collage by 4 artists.

12 person group exhibition of media art students from Women's Art University. This is the 4th installment of the exhibition, taking the theme "Rouge".

Celebrating the grand opening of online gallery and select shop, Salone Aoyama, limited one-week real shop event will be held at Gallery Dojunkai.

Opening Party: July 16th (Wed) 18:00-20:00

Photographer Eikoh Hosoe's life is a reflection of the path taken by postwar Japanese photographic history. Hosoe has consistently made work that channels artistic concepts originating in Europe and America and bringing a certain intensity of expression and strength of vision to Japanese photography. Hosoe bought his first camera when he was 15, in 1948. While still a teenager, he mingled with artists like Eikyu, Masuo Ikeda, Masa Kato, Toru Takemitsu and On Kawara, while being strongly influenced by the work of Teijiro Kubo, Shuzo Takiguchi and Shikanosuke Oka. Upon graduation from the photography department of the Tokyo Photography College (now Tokyo Polytechnic University) at 21, Hosoe decided to work as a freelance photographer right away. In 1959, Hosoe formed the Vivo group (disbanded in 1961) along with Kikuji Kawada, Akira Sato, Akira Tanno, Shomei Tomatsu and Ikko Narahara, producing their own work and establishing an economic base for their activities. The same year that Vivo was founded, Hosoe became friends with Anraku Butoh founder Tatsumi Hijikata and saw the "Kinshoku" performance at the Dai-ichi Seimei Hall in Tokyo which left a deep impression on him. Like Hosoe, Hijikata was born in Akita in the Tohoku region of Japan. At the age of 21, when Hosoe decided to become a photographer, Hijikata was inspired by Kazuo Ono's butoh performance in Kanda, Tokyo and entered the world of life as a butoh performer. The encounter between these two artists flowered forth after the photo collection "Kamaitachi" was published in 1969 by Gendai Shisousha. Although Hijikata passed away in 1986 at the age of 57, his spirit seems to live on in Hosoe, who produced an Eros-inspired color work entitled "Shunpon: Ukiyo-e Urushi," shot at HIjikata's former training ground, the Asbestos-kan in Meguro, Tokyo (closed 2003), where Hosoe shot photographs of butoh artists (and Hijikata disciples) whose bodies had been painted white and on whom images of ukiyo-e were projected. Following this, Hosoe used digital technology in conjunction with Japanese folding screens, hanging scrolls and other traditional arts in pursuit of a new photographic style. This solo exhibition by Hosoe at Epsite is a manifestation of this fusion of the fundamental components of both technology and Japanese culture. Gallery Talk by the artist July 5th (Sat) 15:00-16:00

After succeeding in becoming the latest craze, Kayo Ume (aka Ume-chan) is coming back to Little More Chika! Theme of this exhibition is "Mr. Granpa". When Ume started taking photos as a high school student, her first subject was her granpa sitting right in front of her. Growing up in snow-filled former Yanagida Village (Ishikawa prefecture) with her parents and grandparents, Ume still visits her granpa in her hometown and records his life whenever time allows. Celebrating the launch of her photo book with the same title, this exhibition showcases portraits of Ume family. Related events -Artist Talk -Kayo Ume × Shin Sobue (designer) Date & Time: July 4th (Fri) 19:30 (doors open at 19:00) -Slide Show & Autograph Session Date & Time: July 18th (Fri) 19:30 (doors open at 19:00) Fee: ¥500 Capacity: 40 people (reservation required) Reservation starts on June 10th (Tue) Contact: 03-3401-1042 (Little More Chica) Weekdays 10:00-18:00 Please visit the venue website for more details.

July 13th (Sun)-July 17th (Thu) [W:1-A] Teketekebia "Kijinhenjin Daikyouun" Illustration July 15th (Tue)-July 18th (Fri)[E:201 202] Magnet "2008 A/W" Fashion July 16th (Wed)-July 18th (Fri) [W:2-C] Deekei & Wacwac "Perorinpoi" 2 Artists: Painting and 3D object July 17th (Thu)-July 19th (Sat) [W:2-A] International Culture School Fashion Course "Nothing" Makeup July 18th (Fri)-July 20th (Sun) [W:1-A] Tomomi Miyahara "Anoko wo Umeta Atode.." Illustration July 18th (Fri)-July 20th (Sun) [E:102] Piroko Univers Fashion July 19th (Sat)-July 20th (Sun) [W:1-C] Will Send Later Painting, Multimedia and Installation July 19th (Sat)-July 20th (Sun) [E:301] Gas "Summer Exhibition 2008 -Mix Colors" Group: Illustration and Graphic Design July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:1-B] Yuko "Kawaii" Illustration July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:1-F] Love Chookje Group: Photography, Film Screening, DJ and Sweets July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:1-G] Kodachi Miroku Illustration, Photography and Graphic Design July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:2-B] Analog Complex "Bamboo Princess" Group: Space Art [Image: Gas "Summer Exhibition 2008 -Mix Colors"]

Ikuta has been based himself in the San-in region of Japan, taking photographs of environment around him. In November 2006, upon the opening of Yamaguchi Prefecture National Cultural Festival, Ikuta happened to visit Yashiro Island (Suo Oshima Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture) and Kurahashi Island (Kurahashi Town, Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture), both located in the Seto Inland Sea region. There, he was striken a chord with residents' daily life and the islands' seasonal traditions. Since then, he traveled through these islands for 6 times in total, capturing sculptural elements he found in the scenery. While Ikuta's photographs on view don't necessarily portray beautiful sceneries of the islands, they captivate viewers with a sense of nostalgia, relief and surprise. 45 color photographs are on display.

Asada creates situational self-portraits of his own family, confronting new possibilities in photography by looking at the interrelationships between performance roles and actual positions and configurations that dictate family life. In these works, his father plays yakuza boss while Asada and his brother are his underlings. Or else they become an entire family of firemen, or then again pose as a family business. In this way, Asada reexamines the power of the "souvenir photo". This exhibition features the Asada family series with the artist's 4 family members acting out comical portraits as firemen, ramen shop owners and members of a criminal underworld. Through humor, this series of 40 color photographs hopes to prompt discussion about actual familial roles.

Gallery Side 2 is pleased to present "Transaction," a two-person exhibition by Yumiko Furukawa and Yasuko Watanabe. Yumiko Furukawa creates sculptural works that question the gap in perception between oneself and others by quoting popular novels. In this exhibition, she captures scenery intuitively in the form of sculpture. Yasuko Watanabe, a young and emerging female artist who held her debut solo exhibition in January this year, has produced works by utilizing various media such as photography, drawing and sculpture. Her works make free associations with the world outside the frame, dancing lightly at the boundary between the usual and the unusual.

A collaboration between Japanese illustrator Manabu Iguchi and Australian photographer Reuben Stanton of illustrated and photographic dreamscapes including (among other things) girls riding on fish, frightened ghosts and flying cats.

Why photography? At a time when digital work is becoming more and more conventional, what is expected of analog photography is that it conveys as realistically as possible memorable moments from the past of the person holding the camera. The seemingly endless blackness and smooth gradations seen in Okabe's work allows viewers to feel the texture, temperature and even moisture content of his subjects. His world, comprised simply of white and black, is in fact a remarkably powerful instrument for communicating effectively with viewers.

Opening party: May 24th, 15:00-18:00

Showcasing photographs this artist took in off-limits premises and torn-down buildings. Although the artist has worked mainly on portrait photographs for years, he focused this time on the interior of the buildings rather than figures.

"Shaseijutsu" is a series of exhibition featuring works by emerging photographers from Setagaya. The second edition of the series features Kunihiko Katsumata. His work captures changing scenery, reflecting on society we belong to. His large scale series, "Skyline" and his other works are projected on screen. His works will be also on display at Setagaya Art Museum Ward Gallery. July 21st (Mon/Holiday) - 27th (Sun) 10:00-18:00 Closed on 22nd (Tue). [Image: "Skyline" (2005) (detail)]

This exhibition focuses attention on the question of desire at the root of one's appetite, featuring photographs of soap bubbles against dining tables laden with food, and sculptures made up of piled-up white porcelain tableware. Whereas wild animals like lions only attack other animals when their stomachs are empty, the appetites and desires of humans recognize fewer restrictions. One example is the "vomiting room" that existed in ancient Rome. In order for the Romans to wrangle maximum enjoyment from the act of dining, they would adjourn to the vomiting room in order to get rid of the satiety of the preceding meal, and then return to the table in order to eat again. Human appetite sometimes acts in defiance of nourishment. Originally tied to the sustenance of life, functioning as a replenishing, self-regulatory impulse, appetites have taken on a very different form in modern societies. In Japan, recent years have seen a gourmet food boom, with an accompanying rise in sales of gourmet magazines. TV programs that deal with food are also constantly being broadcast. Foreigners from other societies who visit Japan seem to be genuinely surprised at this spectacle. Although Japanese culinary culture has much to boast about, enjoying an especially elevated reputation abroad, considerably different appetites and desires are being stirred up domestically in one of the most stressful societies in the world. Opening party: June 1st (Sun) 14:00-

Greenery and water are essential for life not only for humans, but also various other living beings. These vital resources have however been damaged over time due to the exacerbation of global warming. This exhibition showcases photographs by Shuichi Endo, representative commissioner of Tuvalu Overview, an environmental NGO that has attempted to grapple with such issues, as well as alpinist Ken Noguchi, alongside works by notable nature photographers. Works by these nature photographers convey powerful yet alluring images of greenery and water, life-giving elements that constantly breathe new life into the earth even in a time of dire climate change and global warming. Other photographer whose main focus is on environmental problems will also exhibit works with images like "Tsubaru Country", a country consisting of 9 small islands in the South Pacific Ocean which is about to sink into the ocean due to the rise in sea level. It is hoped that this exhibition will give viewers an opportunity to become more conscious about our environment and to feel the need to protect our greenery and water, vital resources for life itself. Concurrently, this exhibition will cooperate with the "Our Earth to Protect" project promoted by the NPO Gaia Initiative Tomoyo Nonaka. An "Our Earth to Protect" photo contest will also be held. Taking the title of the project as its theme, photos taken mainly using mobile phones will be submitted, and prize-winning works will be exhibited at Fujifilm Square. Moreover, these photos will be available for view from all over the world. Please visit the exhibition website for more details. [Image: © Umimaru "Porcupine Fish, Kerama, Okinawa"]

The annual "Holiday for Two" exhibition is back! This exhibition features the travel exploits of photographers Akinori Ikeda and Ani Watanabe, a project in which both artists experience the same place at the same time under the same conditions, recording their experiences through photography. The last time this exhibition was held, Ikeda and Watanabe used the same camera (a Mamiya 645) and trawled the streets of Shanghai. This time, however, they used 35mm film and took to the streets of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - the oncoming tidal waves of motorbikes, people plying their trades on the streets and in the markets, the children...Saigon is a city with a constant flow and exchange of people and their sounds and smells that accompany that flow. Ikeda and Watanabe capture that unconscious flow with their shutters, and the results of their urban escapade, a tale of Saigon life, is on display at the gallery. Limited edition prints with edition numbers will be on sale for the duration of the exhibition. Carrying on where the last exhibition in the series left off, photographer Tokiwa Hibiki has been invited to give a talk show as well. A photo workshop conducted by Ikeda and Watanabe is also to be held on August 2nd. Talk show with Tokiwa Hibiki Date and time: July 26th (Sat) 15:00-17:00 Fee: ¥1000 (includes one drink) Limited to 40 persons (first-come first-serve basis) Tel: 03-3401-0741 Reservations: Please email (info@calmandpunk.com) or call the venue. For email reservations, please include "July 26th Talk Show participation" in the title, with your name, email address and number attending. A confirmation email will be sent back to you. Workshop with Akinori Ikeda and Ani Watanabe Date and time: August 2nd (Sat) 14:00-17:00 (please gather 10 min before the start time) Venue: Calm and Punk Gallery Limited to 12 couples (first-come first-serve basis) Fee: ¥2000 per couple Reservations accepted from June 30th (Mon)-July 28th (Mon) Reservations: Please email (info@calmandpunk.com) or call the venue. Please send an email with "August 2nd Saigon for Two workshop participation" in the title, with your name, email address and number attending. A confirmation email will be sent back to you. Please bring along one digital camera (with strobe/sync function) and someone you care about. Opening party: July 18th (Fri) 19:00-21:00

The TV celebrity Maki Horikita always carries her camera around and takes photos all the time. "Photographs are precious memories of my life" says Horikita. On view at Photo Cafe on the 1st floor of Fujifilm Square are photos Horikita took in various places she visited. It's hoped that viewers will enjoy a sense of spontaneity emanating from her work. [Image: © Maki Horikita]

Maddelena Sisto (born 1951 in Alexandria, passed away 2000 in Milan) was a world-renowned illustrator who worked with magazines like Italian Vogue and Elle Deco, and was also something of a legend in the Italian fashion world. For 30 years since the 70's, Sisto expressed the zeitgeist through her work with remarkable flair. Unfortunately, her prolific career was cut short In 2000, when she fell victim to cancer and passed away shortly after. This show is a traveling exhibition that was inaugurated in 2004 at the Milan Triennale, organized by Franca Sozzani, the charismatic editor of Italian Vogue. Now arriving in Japan, it has been extremely well-received in Italy owing to its comprehensive documentation of changing times through the medium of fashion. About 1000 works by Sisto will be on display, including around 100 original watercolors on the subject of fashion and design, as well as art objects, sculptures, and photographs. In these autographed works, Sisto captured and reflected the spirit of an age through her astute illustrations, infused not only with her exceptional talent, but also her sharp eye for irony.

The 9th exhibition at Gallery Bauhaus is devoted to the work of photographer Hiroshi Yoda, who works mostly in fashion but is active in a variety of fields. After graduating from high school and studying photography at art school in England, Yoda studied with the famous English photographer David Montgomery. After going freelance in 1966, Yoda founded Hiroshi Studio in London. He would go on to work for major magazines like Harper's Bazaar and Queen, Vanity Fair, as well as Japanese fashion brand Jun and Rope. Yoda shifted his base from London to Tokyo in 1972 and did advertising work for Shiseido, Hanae Mori, Suntory, Seibu department store, as well as magazines anan Elle Japon. This exhibition traces Yoda's career from the London period onward, in fashion and portraiture. Around 40 works both in monochrome and color will be on display. -Dialogue: Hiroshi Yoda and Yamato Shiine In conjunction with this photo exhibition, a dialogue event between Yoda and former editor for magazine company Popeye, Yamato Shiine, will be held. Date and time: June 13th (Fri), 19:00-21:00 (gallery closes on 18:00) Fee: ¥2000 To attend, please apply on the website.

Artist's comment: The group of works on display were photographed in Hanoi, Vietnam, when I was at the Goethe Institute. It was the time when Vietnam was right in its transitional period, experiencing rapid urbanization and going through various social changes. With 70% of the population being below the age 30, Vietnam was filled with young people and they were eager to catch up with the world's trend and wanting to consume more. I am captivated by such restless moments that occur in transitional time, and it is fascinating to witness changes in people's value system, relationships with the past and tradition, and strong feelings for something different from before. I wonder if an ideal state or goal will ever be achieved through social changes, or such social changes are merely part of cyclical human activity repeated infinitely. I am deeply engaged in such a way of thinking. I call this series of work "visible haiku". Without titling each one, I placed them next to each other, constructing a narrative and linear relationship as a whole, creating a room for viewers to come up with their own interpretations as comparing to their personal experiences. While attached to the beauty of incompletion in a tranquil and delicate moment, haiku vividly and simply expresses the upmost purity. I want my work to reflect such momental beauty like Japanese haiku. [Sherman Ong, March 2008]

Commemorating the publication of the book "Naoyoshi Hikosaka's Ecriture/Contemporary Artists' Thinking" (Miwa Shoseki, ¥6720), photographic works of Floor Events No. 1 (1970) and No. 3 (1972) will be on display. Publication party: August 1st, 18:00-20:00 Those who wish to attend the party on the closing day of the exhibition, please send an email to Mr. Sakaue at shinobu@flamenco.plala.or.jp, or fax at 03-3787-2307. The fee is ¥10000. (Includes price of book, which will be returned to those who have already purchased it) [Image: Naoyoshi Hikosaka, "Floor Event No. 1" (1970)]

[Image: "Untitled" (2008) C type print]

In the early Meiji period (1868-1912), when the museum belonged to the Museum Bureau of the Ministry of Education, the collection and preservation of old art works in Japan was connected with the preparation of objects to be shown at the Vienna World Exposition in 1875. Likewise, many expositions and exhibitions held in and outside of Japan during the Meiji period provided good opportunities for the research of cultural properties and their accumulation at the Museum. How were photographs, a recording method, related with this? The government officials who photographed Edo castle in 1872 and introduced photography in the "Jinshin survey of cultural properties" in the same year must have understood the effectiveness of photographs as a recording medium. They took every opportunity to photograph the old art works included in the various expositions and exhibitions, and took an active role in transmitting and accumulating this information. This display features photographs as records of art works. Included in it are photo albums documenting World Expositions held in Vienna and Paris during the early Meiji period and the objects shown there. It also features photographs of works shown at the Kanko Bijutsu-kai, an exhibition of old art works held regularly at that time, as well as the works of Kudo Risaburo, one of the pioneers in artistic photography.

This is G/P Gallery's inaugural exhibition featuring new photographs by Yoshihiko Ueda. He is one of the leading contemporary photographers today, and known for works entitled "Quinault" and "Amagatsu." The series on display are from his recent project in which he collaborated with Yoshiaki Nishino, the professor of the University of Tokyo, photographing the collections of the University Museum, and graphic designer, Kenya Hara, who produced the photo book. Photographing bones and stoneware from the collection with a black backdrop, he successfully achieved bringing his work to the next level. This is the first opportunity to experience Ueda's new prints in person.

We are pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition of antique menus from the collection of Hiroomi Tatematsu collection and the "Banquet" exhibition by graf media gm and several contemporary artists. In this exhibition, we introduce antique menus from the collection of Mr. Hiroomi Tatematsu, a Paris based collector. graf media gm is a creative group who is involved with art, food, design, and variety of different fields. Mr. Tatematsu collects menus of banquets that are historically and diplomatically important, as well as being beautifully made. We chose approximately 40 menus from his collection for the exhibition. In addition, graf media gm will produce a banquet room in the gallery with 7 artists from different genres: Umitaro Abe (music), Andreas & Frederika (visual communication), Kasetsu (Japanese calligraphy, seal engraving), Theatre Products (fashion), Yoriko Hoshi (manga), nanpushokudo (cooking unit) and Mie Morimoto (photography). [Image: 1900 Cafe Riche (venerable high-end restaurant), a la carte menu, from the collection of Hiroomi Tatematsu]

CB Collection Roppongi is delighted to present "CB Janes", a group exhibition of female artists. Artists of different nationalities and ages are represented, including Marilyn Minter, who designed the catalog cover for the Whitney Biennale two years ago; Ghada Amer, an Egyptian artist who is currently showing at the Brooklyn Museum; as well as Japanese artists Chiho Aoshima and Ayako Rokkaku. These ten artists bring their varying styles and media to 29 works, each with their own special character that becomes all the more apparent by being exhibited side by side. [Image: Marilyn Minter, "Shit Kicker" (2006), 153x215.9cm, C-print ed.3]

“Asakusa Zenzai” is a series of documentary photographs that focuses on an old couple living in an old neighborhood of Tokyo. The title is reminiscent of the easygoing feeling and sentimentality of this old neighborhood. However, this exhibition is not meant for those who like high art that is easy to take in. In these 80 photographs, the little vicissitudes of life are unflinchingly portrayed, causing an aching in the hearts of their unwitting viewers. Eriko Koga was born in Fukuoka in 1980. After graduating from Sophia University’s French Literature Department, she unwaveringly embarked on a career in photography, choosing to become a freelance photographer. She had wanted to become a photographer since high school, and while in college she studied photography on her own, going around town taking photos of people. When she was 22, she met an old couple at the Asakusa Sanja Festival and spent the following 6 years training her camera on their lives. Her record of Asakusa, which she began photographing in May 2003, was selected for the 2004 photo documentary “Nippon”, presented by Guardian Garden, and 3 years later was featured in the June 2007 issue of the photography magazine “Kaze no Tabibito”. Then, in April this year, the photography series she had been working on for 6 years, “Asakusa Zenzai”, was finally completed. It will be presented in a long-awaited exhibition this summer at our gallery in Hiroo. Ms. Koga’s photographs are roughly textured. It would be hard to say that her technical control of light is flattering or refined. However, even so, you rarely find photos this strikingly unforgettable. Perhaps these works are so moving because they capture lives as they truly are: the lives of a couple aging, year by year. Like the spectrum of a fading rainbow, the shining vermilion light intersects with the lonely blue-gray light of wasted things in these photographs. Ms. Koga controlled the timing of her shots while portraying this old couple as they are. The works in this exhibition can be seen as a symbol of the tradeoff between physical richness and a modern society that is gradually losing its humanity. In recent years, the tradeoff for our emphasis on economic development or social progress is a society that cultivates excessive individualism and inequality, resulting in many people being abandoned. The old couple portrayed in “Asakusa Zenzai” may be among those very people. However, thanks to the young and promising Ms. Koga, for whom becoming a photographer was everything, this old couple has not been completely abandoned. “Nothing I could say could better express what is in these photographs. I would be thrilled if people feel something beyond what can be seen when they look at these photos.” May 2008. Seiji Komatsu, Director of Emon Inc.

The results of the world press photography contest, which gathers the best work out of all press images taken last year, were announced on February 8th in Amsterdam. This year's contest, the 51st, drew a phenomenal 5019 entrants from 125 countries. The Grand Prize was awarded to Tim Hetherington from England, who has since made the cover of Vanity Fair. Various award-winning photographs from 10 departments, including incidents, accidents, sports and art events will be on display.

Born in 1955, New York, Roni Horn studied at Rhode Island School of Design and Yale University. Horn began her art practice in 1975, creating minimalist-influenced conceptual sculptures, and in the 90s, her work became more focused on photography. "I move through language to arrive at the visual," says Horn. Through a wide range of mediums like photography, installation, drawing, and text, she creates complex relationships between the viewer and her work, highlighting our senses of time and place, experience, existence, memory, and identity. "This is Me, This is You," the work showcased in this exhibition is a series of portraits of Horn's niece, Georgia Loy, photographed between 1988 and 2000. A grid of 48 photographs of Georgia occupies a wall space, revealing the girl's various expressions changing throughout time. On the opposite side, another set of photographs are mounted like a mirroring image. These two grids are almost identical at first glance, but there is a few seconds of time lag in between each photographs on the corresponding positions. Horn believes that viewers complete her work. When viewers enter into the space and face the work, and slowly start to realize those two groups are not the same, her work enters its final stage. Opening Reception: June 20th (Fri) 19:00-21:00 [Image: "This is Me, This is You" (detail) (1998-2000)]

T&G Arts presents a photography exhibition of Kishin Shinoyama entitled "Free". In this series, Shinoyama collaborated with actress Sarara Tsukifune, who used to play the male role in the famous, all-women musical performance group Takarazuka Revue, Tsuki-gumi. She left Takarazuka in 2005 and began working as an actress in movies and other theater productions. These photographs on view are the result of improvisation by Tsukifune, who now works as an independent actress, and Shinoyama. Uneasiness and trembling feelings, which occurred at the starting point of their creative process, are revealed in Shinoyama's photographs. The works are not mere depiction of eroticism, but reflections of human mystery and its existence.

Cape Farewell is a project for scientists and artists to navigate waters around the Arctic Circle. International team members sail through the ice-covered Arctic Circle with 100-year-old Dutch sailboat with the purpose of witnessing the rampage of radical climate changes. They also aim to research and report the rapid environmental changes taking place in the site. Having sailed 4 times since 2003, Cape Farewell is now holding exhibition of art works as well as fruits of their research. This exhibition is traveling all over the world under the supervision of Barbican Art Gallery. Project Official Site: http://www.capefarewelljapan.jp/english/ Please visit the exhibition website for more details.

This exhibition invites four guest curators - Kenichiro Araki, Hana, Mitsuyo Kakuta and Nobuyoshi Araki - to select works from the collection of the Yokohama Museum of Art from each of their unique viewpoints, works that are then exhibited in 4 sections. The wealth and diversity of the collection will be shown in its best light, including works that are shown in a different light or context, or which are rarely shown at all. In addition, new work by Araki made expressly for this exhibition will also be on display. There will also be a corner featuring work selected by the citizens of Yokohama.

Mitsuhiko Imamori is a photographer who communicates the beauty of the world's tropical rainforests, deserts and Japan's natural environments through themes such as the relationship of main to nature, expressed in gorgeous images and accessible writings. This exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography presents an exhibition entitled "Insects: A 4 Billion Year Journey" by one of Japan's most noted nature photographers. Imamori was born in Shiga prefecture in 1954. He became fascinated by insects and their ecologies from an early age, and has persistently conducted research and other investigations on subjects related to insects all over the world. His photographic work, which defies existing categories, demonstrates a unique sensibility towards nature that has won him much acclaim both at home and abroad. In recent years Imamori has focused his attention on the area called "Satoyama", centered on his hometown of Lake Biwa, recording through photography the peaceful coexistence of its residents with the nature that surrounds them. This is a project limited not just to collections of photos. Imamori's work, "A Poem in Images: The Life-giving Waterside at Satoyama", has stirred up emotions of nature lovers throughout the world, receiving several international prizes. This exhibition showcases around 200 works drawn from his representative works "Record of the World of Insects" and "Record of Insects", as well as new work focusing on insect ecologies. Imamori's unique perspective displays a remarkable sympathy for the natural habitats behind the insects themselves, evoking the interconnected relationships that link nature and humans together.

Works by students of the monochrome print course at Kodak Photo School.

In 1970s Japan, monochrome painting was introduced as a mainstream form of Korean contemporary art, but in recent years, various forms of work by Korean contemporary artists have made an international appearance. However, there hasn't been any comprehensive exhibitions focusing on works created after the 80s -- the time of rapid economic growth and democratic movements. "People's Art" is strongly connected to the Korean democratic movement of the 80s. In response to Modernist tradition, "People's Art" is grounded in Realism, portraying the reality of changing Korean society. This critical attitude toward society and history is also found in contemporary Korean art today. This exhibition introduces the full picture of "People's Art" for the first time. Reflecting the postwar era until today, 110 works from the Korean National Modern Art Museum's collection of paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs, and video works following realism are on display. Lectures: starting 14:00, free, no reservation required. -July 6th (Sun) "The History of Korean People's Art and Today" Ichiro Hario (art critic, director of Kanaz Forest of Creation and Maruki Gallery of Hiroshima Panels) -July 20th (Sun) "1980s People's Art and Korean Realism" Ko Sonjun (curator of the Niigata Bandaijima Art Museum) -August 3rd (Sun) "Political Realism in Korean and Japanese Art" Toshifumi Takei (curator of Fuchu Art Museum)

Gallery White Room Tokyo is pleased to announce The Chance is Higher, a solo exhibition of photographer Ari Marcopoulos. The exhibition presents a new series of large-scale photocopied photographs. Marcopoulos has captured urban life through an intimate lens: in the 1980s and '90s, his chronicling of New York subcultures and hard-edged youth portrayed with poetic contrast became rage of the times. He captured the emergence of resistance movements, the world of hip hop and skateboarding, and iconic artists, such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and David Hammons, in the same ease as the striking portraits of his own family and surroundings. In The Chance is Higher, Marcopoulos’ photographs are treated through photocopying, altering their size and contrast, and exploring the ephemeral, evoking the memory of lost instants. In this new body of work Marcopoulos brings together portraits of his family, of skaters and graffiti artists who transform their urban surroundings, and of the city itself. He explores the strange beauty always inherent to loved ones, to youth, to their bodies, however scratched up or bruised. His work here further blurs the relationship between the photographer and his subjects. The images are personal and autobiographical, but do not strive to be candid or unconcerned with a particular moment. Opening Reception with the artist: June 13th (Fri) 19:00-21:30

In the present climate of globalization, we believe that the role of art must not be simply to pursue standards of economic efficiency and uniformity, but instead to create new aesthetic values. In this exhibition we will use the role of the artist to hypothesize about how Ecosophy - as proposed by French philosopher Felix Guattari - can be put into practice. Ecosophy is a term coined by Guattari that abbreviates the phrase "ecological philosophy". It means to give an ecological framework to all fields of enquiry - not just those involving the environment, but those involving psychology and social relations, too. It holds that the only genuine answer to the current ecological crisis is to see things on a global scale, reassess the targets of material and immaterial wealth creation and carry out cultural endeavors that go well beyond the established norms of politics, economics and society. The cultural endeavors will therefore concern themselves not solely with the big, visible power games of politics and so on, but also with the molecular domains of sensibility, intellect and desire. This exhibition brings together several Tokyo galleries known for their presentation of young talent not yet commodified by the international market economy, and includes exhibits introducing a number of artists recommended by those galleries. The criteria adopted by Eye of Gyre in selecting the galleries was that they be leaders in the Tokyo art scene and that they actively seek involvement in society and work on an international scale with an eye to changing society. By bringing together artists with the galleries whose jobs it is to link them with society, we aim for this exhibition to be the first step towards putting Ecosophy into practice by applying ecological frameworks to the three phenomena of environment, social relations and human subjectivity.

Group of photographs taken for my previous 2 solo exhibitions "Here, Now, Always" (2004), and "Dark Room" (2005), led me to challenge this new exhibition "Atlas", which is still in progress. "Atlas" is composed of photographs all taken in the premises of my house. My camera captured each moment of shifting seasons at dawn, in daylight and around sunset, from both inside and outside of the house. I hope my work serves as "atlas", which speaks for something divorced from human values. On display alongside "Atlas" work are several pieces from previous 2 exhibitions. -Junko Ikawa

Best known for his experimental novel, "Hopscotch," Julio Cortázar became a leading writer of Latin American new-genre literature. He is also regarded as a master of short story novels, for opening up new possibilities of short fiction. He created poetries, novels, collages, comics, and even music, blurring boundaries of these different forms of expression. His talent was discovered by writer Jorge Luis Borges, and in later years, after finishing his university studies, Cortázar took part in various social activities. This exhibition aims to introduce his life from multiple angles. Opening: July 3rd (Thur) 19:00

Reception: June 21st (Sat) 18:00-20:00

Paris has long attracted and bewitched artists, stimulating them to hone their artistic ambitions and aesthetics. Crystallized in these works are the affections and homages paid to the city by photographers who have been drawn to Paris and visited it. Roaming the city as foreigners, stopping for a drink by the wayside, they created elegant works, works that resemble an intimate letter sent forth to a close friend. Inspired and provoked by the incomparable character of Paris, these photographers have pursued their craft to its utmost limits. Permitting these two extreme forms of dynamism is perhaps another of Paris's unique charms. Both these tendencies will be showcased In this circular gallery space.

Taro Okamoto visited Korea in 1964 and 1977. One wonders what sort of significance these two visits to Korea held for him. Before then, Okamoto encountered Jomon wares in 1951 and discovered within those shapes the primordial sense of vitality among the Japanese people. Afterwards, in 1957, he left on a journey across several regions in Japan to find the essence of Japanese culture for his serialization of the “Geijutsu Fudoki” (Topography of Art). It was in 1959 when he came across Utaki, the sacred areas in Okinawa, and contemplated the origins of interaction between the shaman and the gods. Also, beginning in 1962, he took yet another trip to various parts of Japan in order to write the “Shinpi Nihon” (Mysteries in Japan). Following these events, Okamoto visited Korea for the first time in 1964. Completing his journeys throughout Japan, Okamoto was growing interested in the deep relationship that has existed since ancient times between Japan and the Korean Peninsula. This was a perfect opportunity to travel to Korea. With this visit, he experienced the people’s lifestyles, discovered an honest way for human beings to exist by how people lived cheerfully and robust despite impoverishment, and became strongly attracted to the culture and traditions of Korea. In his visit to Korea in 1977, he embraced his interest in the masked theatre and shamanism. He also became drawn to the Changseung (guideposts) he encountered during his trip. The stones placed at the base of the wooden Changseung posts gave him a sense of the rich flow of culture that poured down from Northern Eurasia to reach Japan, including the culture of the scythia from the northern equestrian people and the Obo shrines of Mongolia. Along with Okamoto’s photographs, this exhibition also introduces many documents, videos, and materials, including household tools and masks. This is a way to trace Okamoto’s steps during his travels, reveal his encounters in Korea, and show the deep, personal impressions he had of Korean culture and the lifestyles of its people. [Image: "Changseung" (1977) photo by Taro Okamoto]

Trace Elements: Spirit and Memory in Japanese and Australian Photomedia features work by Australian artists Philip Brophy, Jane Burton, Alex Davies, Genevieve Grieves and Sophie Kahn together with Japanese practitioners Teiji Furuhashi, Seiichi Furuya, Chie Matsui, Lieko Shiga and Kazuna Taguchi. An exhibition that encompasses both the traditions and the innovations of photomedia practice, from black and white photography to interactive video installation, Trace Elements considers the ways in which contemporary artists are addressing the intrinsic relationship of photography to time, memory and the metaphysical association of the medium to phantasmagoria and the semblance of lived experience. Relating Programmes Open Forum "Part Past Part Present Part Fiction: Trace Elements" July 19th (Sat) 14:00-17:00 Conference Room (1 and 2) on the 7th floor in Tokyo Opera City bldg. Capacity: 180 seats Language: Japanese and English with successive translation. Admission: Free Please check out the museum's website for more information and other related events.

America has been a leader in the realm of photographic expression since the early days of the medium, especially throughout the 20th century - both as a fertile ground for creating photographic work and as the subject of its expression: for Americans certainly, but also especially for artists from Europe and Asia. This "Visions of America" exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography is divided into 3 parts and eras, exploring the history of the medium from the days of the 19th century daguerreotype up until the present. Through a consideration of America as place and locale - including interpretations of that place through the eyes of non-Americans - this exhibition aims to reassess the notion of "America" through an examination of photography and photographic history in this country. In addition, the exhibition is not just a means of reading the history of America since its founding, but also a way of interpreting the multi-layered global-local character of American culture. In short, "Visions of America" is a prime opportunity for one and all, not just photography buffs, to rediscover works and photographers already familiar to Japanese audiences through this approach.

Jim O’Connell documents Tokyo’s red-light district, making connections with Kabukicho’s working men and women, revelers and passers-by. This exhibition comprises of ten photographs shot in 2006. This event is taking place in , a bar in Golden Gai.

Using three floors of the main building, this permanent exhibition presents about 200 to 250 pieces selected from our museum's collection of about 9,200 works, including Japanese- and Western-style paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints, photographs and sculptures, to provide a historical overview on modern Japanese art from the beginning of the 20th century to present. The show also includes some overseas works related to Japanese pieces. Many of the exhibits are largely replaced five times a year. In addition to the historical approach, a smaller show, "Topic in Focus" is given in each exhibition period to shed new light on modern Japanese art. The permanent collection is displayed in regular rotation. Please check the museum's website for details.

*This exhibition is taking place at , a bar in Golden Gai.

Location: Setagaya Art Museum Ward Residence Gallery

July 21st (Mon)-July 27th (Sun) [W:1-A] David Wang Painting and Illustration July 21st (Mon)-July 27th (Sun) [W:2-A] Ikue Furuichi Exhibition Painting July 23rd (Wed)-July 25th (Fri) [W:1-G] Broccoli & Co "New Product Public Relations." 2 Artists: Installatiuon, Art Book and Product Design July 24th (Thu)-July 26th (Sat) [W:2-B 2-C] Japan Women's University Nishiikuta Photo Club Group: Photography July 25th (Fri)-July 27th (Sun) [E:202] Temple University Japan "Tokyo Stories Summer 2008" Group: Photography, Multimedia [Image: Broccoli & Co "New Product Public Relations."]

Original photo books by 50 members of this group are all on display.

Chichibu Shindo Highway was open to traffic in 1886 with the purpose of carrying down raw silk and cocoons from Chichibu to Honjo. Alongside this prefectural Highway 44, there scattered settlements, each of which consisting of 20 to 30 farm houses. Sericultural industry had been a main source of income among farmers until the postwar high economic growth ended. In recent years, however, the number of elderly people and empty houses have increased considerably due in part to the shortage in successors. In such a harsh condition, local people have striven to protect the land and customs they have taken over from their ancestors, while keeping their open and generous minds to others. Through 5 years of researching and photo-shooting process at the site, Yamada rediscovered the things easily overlooked in the contemporary society where people never cease to live by lust: the importance of "living simple life with nature". 42 color photographs will be on view.

Reception Party: July 26th (Sat) 18:00

Collaborative exhibition, with photographs of flowers by Toru and illustrations of women and flowers by illustrator Mariko. Around 20 photos and illustrations are on display.

Opening Party: July 22nd, 19:00-21:00

Lisa Vogt is a photographer who also works as a lecturer for NHK radio and in the field of university English education. She has traveled the world, coming face to face with nature and documenting her exploits. This exhibition showcases polar bears in the North Pole, observed with a quiet eye and sincere approach. Workshops will also be held. For more details, see the venue website.

July 27th (Sun)-July 29th (Tue) [W:1-B] Shabu "Oretachiwa Kokoniiru" Group: Painting and Photography July 27th (Sun)-August 2nd (Sat) [W:2-B] Gosado "010" Group: Graphic Design and Photography July 28th (Mon)-July 30th (Wed) [E:101 102] Person's Golf 2009 SS Exhibition Fashion July 29th (Tue)-July 31st (Thu) [W:1-G] Kamatagumi "ARC" 2 Artists: Painting, Illustration and Graphic Design July 30th (Wed)-August 1st (Fri) [E:304] Yuginro Painting and Performance July 31st (Thu)-August 6th (Wed) [W:2-C] Ned Girls Group: 3D, Graphic Design, Photography, Film Screening and Multimedia August 1st (Fri)-August 3rd (Sun) [E:101] London Art Market Art market [Image: London Art Market]

Exhibiting over 20 works by 6 artists, all set in decorative frames of 10 - 20 cm in size. These works cover a variety of media such as oil, nihon-ga, photography and illustration.