Japanese and Chinese Photo and Video Art: Triinu Soikmets, Leho Rubis & Maret Nukke

On September 8, the exhibitions "Fractured Delights" by Chinese artist Wang Chen and "a faraway shining star, twinkling in hand" by Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi will conclude. For this final evening, we will bring an Asian ambiance to the venue.

On this special evening, we will dive into the world of patterns, mythologies, and symbols with art historian Triinu Soikmets and artist Leho Rubis, inspired by Wang Chen's video work. Alongside this, we will explore common symbols and ideas in Eastern Asian art that have found various forms of expression throughout different eras. Wang Chen's video indirectly relates to both Taoist and Buddhist myths, with central themes of one or another ideal landscape.

Following this, Triinu Soikmets will guide us, along with Japanese philologist and translator Maret Nukke, into the poetic visual world of Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi. The exhibition and discussions will merge everyday moments with powerful natural phenomena. Rinko Kawauchi's photo series are highly acclaimed by critics as "visual essays," showcasing her exceptional skills in photographic storytelling.

Wang Chen “Fractured Delights”

In Wang Chen's captivating and colourful work “Fractured Delights” traditional handcraft skills meet the rich possibilities of digital technology, juxtaposing ancient, innate roots with today's culture and life.

The Chinese artist reimagines landscapes in his video installation, linked to the complex experiences of changing self-identity amid the backdrop of relocation. The installation narrates not only the physical movement from one place to another but also the continuous inner journey encompassing a person's constant adaptation in both earthly and spatial dimensions. The exhibition visitor is guided into an enchanting virtual world, prompting reflection on social issues.

Rinko Kawauchi "a faraway shining star, twinkling in hand""

Kawauchi's exhibition is the photographer's homage to Mother Earth "M/E" – her series of the same name was inspired by a 2019 trip to Iceland, prompting contemplation on the fragility of humans beside all-powerful and raging nature, and whether we appreciate what nature offers us daily. In Kawauchi's work, the main focus is on bright and slow moments of everyday life, yet in the background, one can sense echoes of socially significant events, climate catastrophe, and the planet's cries for help.

Rinko Kawauchi is one of the brightest stars in contemporary Japanese photography. Her dreamy, delicate, and poetic style is unique and highly distinctive in today's photography, capturing everyday moments in an extraordinarily pure and gentle way. Kawauchi is a natural observer and wanderer, enriching her photographic work with her own poems, which help to understand her essence even more.

September 8 is the last day for both exhibitions at Fotografiska Tallinn.

© Wang Chen