To Whom It May Concern: Silence in Photography by Tomoko Nagakawa
In conversation with Luke Newbould
28 April, 2023
Using analogue printing techniques on specialist papers, Tomoko Nagakawa creates visually minimalist yet imaginatively expansive objects that serve as a suggestive launchpad for open interpretation. Exploring the awakening of our unconscious from silence, To Whom It May Concern is a sensitive reflection of her journey and an act of celebration of the lives around her. Encompassing a physical relationship with photography, each image becomes a result of a slow and unique printing process. The images do not work as a narrative but instead are suspended as abstractions, open to sensations and interpretations.
Tomoko Nagakawa: I take creating art seriously but I don’t take myself seriously. My failure doesn’t hurt anyone but myself. It helps not to take yourself too seriously. Photography for me is the way to deal with what life throws at me. Through making prints, I can reflect and let out my internal feelings is, then connect with others without verbalising them. This liminal space attached to our primordial silence which is materialised by my hand into a physical object to reach others, just like the process of writing letters, is the most important theme I continue to explore.
Once a violin maker who has had a big influence on my photographic journey said ‘If you are lucky enough to have two hands, you have to use them.’ This kicked me into making my own print. It is labour-intensive and more failure than success but when all goes well I get immense satisfaction.
We want things we cannot have. We seek to reclaim certain moments, sounds and sensations. Through photography I am doing exactly that.
Over the years, I collected and rescued old film cameras whether it’s broken or not. I find it very difficult to comprehend that these amazing objects which contributed to creating memories by many hands go to landfill when the owner no longer needs them.
I view their flaws and limitations just like myself and appreciate these unique characters. I don’t have very good eyesight and I dislike wearing glasses unless necessary. This flawed view can be apparent on my prints. Sometimes I feel that we want things we cannot have. We seek to reclaim certain moments, sounds and sensations. Through photography I am doing exactly that.
I also try not to give too much focus on the process itself. It is dangerous to weigh the process side heavily and then become blind for the final objects. I like to feel the final object as a biological being rather than a visual image. To achieve this goal I continue to search for the process and materials which suit my objective and experiment if the journey brings more possibilities and expands our senses.
We are biological beings. We need to smell things, taste things and hear things.