Daido Moriyama: An exciting journey through the work of Japan’s most influential photographer at the Swiss museum Photo Elysée
The Lausanne photography museum Photo Elysée presents a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to one of Japan’s most renowned photographers. Organized by the Instituto Moreira Salles (São Paulo, Brazil), the retrospective, after stops in Berlin and London, has now arrived in Switzerland. "It is impossible to talk about the history of photography without mentioning him. In Japan, he is an iconic artist," Museum Director Nathalie Herschdorfer commented at the opening. The retrospective will be on display until 23 February 2025. And we have a preview for you here on GoSee.
Daido Moriyama is one of the most significant street photographers, having indelibly left his mark on our perception of cities and media. This comprehensive retrospective, curated by Thyago Nogueira, presents key moments of his nearly 60-year career.
Born in 1938 in Osaka, Moriyama grew up in post-war Japan and documented the conflict between tradition and Western influences. He understood photography as a language of democracy shaped by mass media, drawing inspiration from American artists such as William Klein and Andy Warhol.
The exhibition showcases Moriyama’s development, from his early work for Japanese magazines to his participation in the Provoke movement. Known for his blurry, grainy images, the retrospective also includes rarely shown color photographs from his archive.
In the 1980s, Moriyama returned to street photography, reflecting upon his identity and the essence of photography. Works such as ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Pretty Woman’ question the linear aspect of memory and the seductive power of advertising.
The exhibition concludes with an overview of Moriyama's magazine ‘Record’, which documents his explorations of cities and media. Since its revival in 2006, it has grown to include 57 issues, serving as an experimental platform for his artistic challenges.
"Throughout his career, Moriyama has been looking for the answer to a fundamental question: What is the essence of photography? Rejecting the dogmatism of art and the fetishization of vintage prints, he embraced the accessible and reproducible aspects of photography as its most radical assets. Since most of Moriyama's work is produced for publications and printed media, visitors will have the opportunity to see a range of Moriyama’s most important magazines and books as well as a selection of his editions in both Japanese and English." Photo Elysée.
Daido Moriyama has liberated photography from dogmatic approaches, presenting significant contributions in magazines and books. The retrospective, organized by the Instituto Moreira Salles in São Paulo and the Daido Moriyama Photo Foundation, was named the best photography exhibition of 2023 in London by The Guardian and is one of the most extensive exhibitions of his oeuvre.
Published for the exhibition is the catalog ‘Daido Moriyama. A Retrospective’ by Prestel.
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