Uma Kinoshita: Of Fukushima, Books, and Japanese Bindings
9.11.2022, 9:00 pm
Talk with
Uma Kinoshita
Wednesday, November 9 at 9:00 pm, Lab27 will host Japanese artist Uma Kinoshita.
A photographer, writer, art director, and creator of artist books, Uma has spent the past ten years documenting the Fukushima region following the disaster caused by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the area. At Lab27, she will present some of her latest limited-edition books on Fukushima, entirely handcrafted by her—from paper production to printing and binding. This is a unique opportunity to learn both about the real situation in the areas surrounding Fukushima and about traditional Japanese paper and bookbinding techniques. In addition to her own photography, Uma currently creates artist books for other photographers and illustrators.
Uma Kinoshita is an independent photographer based in Tokyo. A self-taught artist, she began photographing in 2004, initially focusing on the female body and emotions. Her nude works earned numerous awards and exhibitions both in Japan and internationally. However, the disasters of March 11, 2011, drastically changed her work. Her introspective gaze shifted to major social issues. In the first year after the disasters, she explored the absolute solitude experienced by people, photographing places where no one could—or should—be, completing a portfolio titled “Lost in Fukushima.” In the second year, she focused on the role of local religion as a source of community resilience, producing her second Fukushima series, “Prayer in Stricken Land.” Her third project, “In Silence and In Sorrow,” incorporates traditional Japanese hand-screened paper called Kamikawasaki-washi from Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, a craft with a history spanning over 1,000 years. These three series have been exhibited both domestically and internationally. In 2019 and 2020, Uma concentrated on photographing Okuma Town in Fukushima, home to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This work culminated in the fourth series of her Fukushima project, “Mementos of Happiness,” completed in 2021.
Uma Kinoshita: Of Fukushima, Books, and Japanese Bindings
9.11.2022, 9:00 pm
Talk with
Uma Kinoshita
Wednesday, November 9 at 9:00 pm, Lab27 will host Japanese artist Uma Kinoshita.
A photographer, writer, art director, and creator of artist books, Uma has spent the past ten years documenting the Fukushima region following the disaster caused by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the area. At Lab27, she will present some of her latest limited-edition books on Fukushima, entirely handcrafted by her—from paper production to printing and binding. This is a unique opportunity to learn both about the real situation in the areas surrounding Fukushima and about traditional Japanese paper and bookbinding techniques. In addition to her own photography, Uma currently creates artist books for other photographers and illustrators.
Uma Kinoshita is an independent photographer based in Tokyo. A self-taught artist, she began photographing in 2004, initially focusing on the female body and emotions. Her nude works earned numerous awards and exhibitions both in Japan and internationally. However, the disasters of March 11, 2011, drastically changed her work. Her introspective gaze shifted to major social issues. In the first year after the disasters, she explored the absolute solitude experienced by people, photographing places where no one could—or should—be, completing a portfolio titled “Lost in Fukushima.” In the second year, she focused on the role of local religion as a source of community resilience, producing her second Fukushima series, “Prayer in Stricken Land.” Her third project, “In Silence and In Sorrow,” incorporates traditional Japanese hand-screened paper called Kamikawasaki-washi from Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, a craft with a history spanning over 1,000 years. These three series have been exhibited both domestically and internationally. In 2019 and 2020, Uma concentrated on photographing Okuma Town in Fukushima, home to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This work culminated in the fourth series of her Fukushima project, “Mementos of Happiness,” completed in 2021.
