An artist book by visual artist Nozawa Yutaka.

Nozawa Yutaka has primarily produced works in the form of photography, video, and installation, invoking multiple time-spaces and chance by moving back and forth between images and the spaces and boundaries onto which they are projected, but in recent years has also been working on creating works using painting. This book is based on the book "→□←" (2014), which was produced in a limited edition of 10 copies while Nozawa was staying in Spain, and is a new publication that uses the same format and photographs taken over the past 10 years.

The photographs, which are recorded like memos of the artist's daily work, appear to contain symbolic representations such as shadow lines, flocks of birds, reflections in mirrors, curtains, gazes, and circles, but these are not images that encompass a story; rather, they function as windows through which the viewer's gaze and consciousness can travel between inside and outside the frame.
This book allows readers to sense humorous connections from the scenes and silhouettes that lurk with subtle surprises, inviting them into a continuous, never-ending game.

This book includes an essay by Professor Kuwata Kohei (contemporary French literature, representative cultural theory) of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tokyo, as well as an original poem by photographer Ricardo Cases, who taught photography at the IED (European Institute of Design) in Madrid, where the author studied.

--If we do not sharpen our sensitivity to complexity, reality and ourselves will become simple. It is important to escape from the flat, simple form of life and continue to play within the complex reality that, upon closer inspection, is nested. (From a contribution to this book by Kuwata Kohei)

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Written by: Kohei Kuwata and Ricardo Cases; Translated by: Kana Ikezawa and Cajetano Rimorte; Design by: Yutaka Nozawa and Hirotaka Honjo; Book design by: Hirotaka Honjo; Printing by: Hakko Art; Binding by: Hakushodo

Moving back and forth between images and their projections and boundaries, invoking multiple time and space and coincidences, Yutaka Nozawa has been creating his works mainly in the form of photographs, videos, and installations. In recent years, he also incorporates paintings into his practices.

Based on “→□←” (2014), which Nozawa published only 10 copies during his stay in Spain, this book is the artist book newly composed under the same format, using photographs taken since then for 10 years.

The photographs, which were taken as daily documentations of his production, include lines of shadows, flocks of birds, reflections of mirrors, curtains, gazes, and circles. Those may often be said to be symbolic motifs, but they are not figures that encompass a narrative in Nozawa's works. Actually, they are windows that allow the viewer's gaze and consciousness to move in and out of the frame.
Between scenes and silhouettes in his photographs with subtle surprises, the readers can perceive somewhat humorous linkages that invite us into a continuous and never-ending play.

Contributing to this book, we also include newly written essay by Kohei Kuwada, Professor of Graduate Schools of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo (Modern French Literature, Culture and Representation Studies) and a poem by Ricardo Cases (Photographer) who had taught photography at IED where Nozawa studied during his stay in Spain.

-Because if one doesn't enhance one's sensibilities for complexity, reality and even ourselves become of a simple shape. It is important to escape from the flat and plain form of life and continue to play in the complex reality that, upon closer look, you realize is nested. (From the essay by Kohei Kuwada)

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Text by : Kohei Kuwada, Ricardo Cases
Translation: Kana Ikezawa, Cayetano Limorte Menchón
Design: Yutaka Nozawa, Hirotaka Honjo
Book Design: Hirotaka Honjo

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Pages: 96 + 12
Size: 221 x 189 mm
Hardcover
Colour

Published by oar press, 2024