Koji Murata
Photography
村田 光司
STATEMENT
I have been contemplating the uniqueness of Japan, often referred to as a unified nation with over 2,000 years of history. In particular, I focus on expressing through my photographic works the reverence for nature and the relationship between human hearts and the natural world that have been nurtured in Japan.
Through this process, I have come to realize once again that we receive not only material benefits from nature but also numerous spiritual blessings. It is essential for us to recognize that we are part of nature, to feel gratitude toward it, and to live in harmony with it without forgetting this connection.
In Japanese art, cultivated in a culture of nature worship, much of the subject matter is drawn from nature itself. Rather than pursuing realism, these works often depict philosophies and ideals. In my own creations, I aim to incorporate the methods of expression found in Japanese art to convey a sense of awe and reverence for nature.
English / 日本語
MY EXPRESSION
Since childhood, I have been fascinated by Japanese paintings and woodblock printings. I wanted to express the artistic aspects and I chose photography as the way to express them 10 years ago. Since then I have been creating artworks. Unlike general art photography, I try to fuse Japanese paintings and woodblock printings with my photographic creations. In my artworks, I outlined the objects like Ukiyo-e, and that gave a strong impression and a positive effect, which attracted me so much. I don’t take photographs with realism but I’m pursuing a new possibility of art expression.
ABOUT ME
Koji Murata
- born in Shiga prefecture, Japan in 1958.
- have started to take photographs by digital single-lens reflex camera, do image processionand color management officially since 2008.
- was fascinated by printing on Japanese paper and then started to study the gradation peculiarity on every printing paper.
- became a member of Samurai Foto in 2013.
- "Japanese Beauty" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Tokyo, Japan (2013)
- SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Yamagata, Japan (2014)
- the finalist of the Photolucida Critical Mass in 2016
- "Emerging Visions of Japan" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Yokohama, Japan (2017)
- "Making a beautiful bridge" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Yokohama, Japan (2018)
- the finalist of the Photolucida Critical Mass in 2019
- "Endless Discovery" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Tokyo, Japan (2020)
- "The Power of Photography" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Tokyo, Japan (2021)
- the finalist of the Photolucida Critical Mass in 2022
- "The Defense of Peace" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Tokyo, Japan (2022)
- "SEEING SPIRIT" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Tokyo, Japan (2023)
- Four works have been permanently added to the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Russia.
- "Transcendence" SAMURAI FOTO exhibition in Tokyo, Japan (2024)
Samurai Foto web site