Chikei Hara | Kozo Miyoshi 'A Long Interview with Kozo Miyoshi'
The anthology 'A Long Interview with Kozo Miyoshi' explores the photographer's essence through a sequence of images rather than a retrospective of his major works.Summary
The anthology 'A Long Interview with Kozo Miyoshi' by photographer Kozo Miyoshi has been published by CAIRO APARTMENT. Rather than retrospectively compiling representative series like "cacti" or "bathtub," the book is structured to engage directly with the artist's essence through a continuous sequence of images. By cross-referencing photographs taken in different locations and eras, the editing highlights the fundamental way Miyoshi directs his gaze. Miyoshi, born in 1947, conducted research on American photography in Arizona after graduating from Nihon University College of Art. His consistent approach involves documenting subjects encountered during his travels across regional areas using a broad frame, recording both the landscape and his experience. His gelatin silver prints are characterized by rich tonal expression, derived from the detailed depiction afforded by large format cameras (medium format or 8x10, recently unique 16x20 inch cameras) and precise control over print gradation, visualizing the inherent mass and temporal depth within the landscape. While his compositions are meticulous, his gaze maintains a subtle tension between the structured framing and the documentary nature rooted in his travel experiences, distancing itself from the New Topographics movement. The book ultimately presents the trajectory of a photographer who has continuously updated classical photographic techniques alongside personal experience through the theme of travel, critically reconstructing how he maintains a necessary distance from the landscape through the sequence of images.
(Source：artscape)