In conjunction with Rinko Kawauchi’s first large-scale solo exhibition in her hometown of Shiga Prefecture, “Rinko Kawauchi: M/E On the Sphere, An Infinite Series,” the exhibition here features a selection of Kawauchi’s work that has a particular connection to Shiga.

Kawauchi’s works, with their expression of soft light and pale colors, look at the fragility and strength of all life and depict a world that is sometimes sad and sometimes beautiful. From the events around us and the small creatures on the roadside to magnificent nature such as Lake Biwa and the cycle of life and death that surrounds them, we are reminded that everything is an extension of the place where we stand, and that everything is with us.

Many of the works featured in this exhibition, not surprisingly, are of a specific person. This is actually quite unusual for Kawauchi, who does not usually choose individuals as the subjects of his works. In “Cui Cui,” Kawauchi captures 13 years of family memories, including scenes from a casual dinner table, Bon and New Year’s gatherings, the death of his grandfather, and the birth of a new life, while in “Yamanami,” he captures the lively daily lives of the people who attend the Yamanami Studio in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture. Almost all of Kawauchi’s photographs were shot on 6 x 6 square film, and even though the number of series shot digitally has increased, this square format, which has continued to be used since her debut, is still a symbolic form of her work.

We hope you will enjoy the images of Shiga captured by Kawauchi.