Koichiro Kurita
"Journey of Light"

Exhibition: 7 November 2026 – 26 February 2027
Opening: Saturday, 7 November, 5-8pm

There is a photographic technique called the calotype. This concept of paper negatives and positives, introduced by Talbot in 1841, is considered the origin of photography. In my project titled "Beyond Spheres" (2010–2017), I began creating calotype (Talbotype) with the aim of visualizing the natural world as described by Henry D. Thoreau with his profound insights gained during his travels. Building on my experience creating negatives on handmade gampi paper for "Beyond Spheres," I am currently taking on the challenge of producing calotypes by building a large-format camera capable of handling 24×30-inch paper negatives.

I have been creating my works while walking through the forest, drawing inspiration from nature. When I encounter a subject, the first things I sense—light and then atmosphere, scent, etc,—stir my emotions through my perceptions, and I try to capture that scene. In my current project, the "Large-Format Calotype Project," the passage of time and invisible chemical reactions intertwine within the ever-changing light, slowly recording the scene as a tangible reality. The process by which memories, once locked away, resurface after this journey through light is both immeasurable potential and is also thrilling.

The word "photograph" literally means "picture of light"; we are able to see objects because sunlight strikes them and reflects off them in varying ways. While the amount of light reflected from each object differs—with black objects reflecting very little and white objects reflecting a great deal—light-sensitive materials are capable of capturing these subtle variations in light, and the technique of creating such images is known as photography.

In the calotype process, paper treated with photosensitive chemicals is placed in a camera and exposed to light, capturing subtle variations in light intensity. Next, the paper is removed from the camera and immersed in a plant-based solution. There, the intensity of the light received is converted into an image, creating a "picture of light." Areas where light was strongly reflected appear black, while areas with little reflection appear white, resulting in an inverted black-and-white image. This is called a "negative."

The journey of light continues.

In the early days of photography, various printing techniques were developed. To create a positive image, egg whites or gelatin were applied to make photographic paper; the negative was then placed on top, and light was shone through it once more. As the light passed through the negative, the image was inverted again, finally producing a photograph (positive) with the correct light and dark tones. Light has come a long way to reach this point.

From here on, we enter the realm of psychology: light now strikes this photograph, and it is through the reflection of that light that I—and all of you—can see it. Depending on differences in attributes such as gender, age, experience, and way of thinking, the visual appearance varies. That is the final destination of the "journey of light."

Koichiro Kurita: "Journey of Light" 2026

Koichiro Kurita
"Journey of Light"

Ausstellung: 7. November 2026 bis 26. Februar 2027
Eröffnung: Samstag, 7. November, 17-20 Uhr