"What matters now? — Proposals for a new front page" Exhibition at Aperture Gallery

http://aperture.org/whatmattersnow/2011/masayo-nishimura/

Masayo Nishimura's photograhs - "The Silver Car at the 79th Street Station I & II ("Uptown Bound" series)" are included in their "Public Wall" exhibition.

http://aperture.org/whatmattersnow/
http://aperture.org/whatmattersnow/about-what-matters-now/

Exhibition on view:
Saturday, September 17, 2011–Saturday, September 24, 2011

What should we be looking at? The extraordinary number of photographs taken on September 11 made it the most photographed event in history and may have signaled the birth of citizen journalism. However in our impulse to record, we have not formulated new strategies to a better understanding of today's pressing issues of a globalized world. There is no longer a "front page" to act as a societal filter through which, we can learn about important events and trends. Even the role that the physical café once played in our communities—the place we went to discuss and digest what's going on around us—has become fragmented across a myriad of virtual spaces.

Ten years post-9/11, at a time when we are more overloaded with information than ever but cannot access it in a coherent manner, Aperture will create a visual café for collective social engagement with the question: What Matter's Now? and turn it into an evolving exhibition space. During a two-week period Aperture will turn itself "inside out," letting participants engage in the editorial process of weighing questions, ideas, and images, and proposing conceptual and curatorial solutions. Both invited guests and gallery visitors will be asked to participate. The exhibition What Matters Now? Proposals for a New Front Page will combine the crowd sourcing of images and ideas with the curatorial engagement of six experienced individuals, each hosting a table and a conversation within the space, where on corresponding walls each group will present its proposals for the contents of a 'New Front Page'. Hosts include a variety of visual image specialists: Wafaa Bilal, Melissa Harris, Stephen Mayes, Joel Meyerowitz, Fred Ritchin (who conceptualized this project), and Deborah Willis.

As the exhibition opens, each of the six hosts will have a designated space, but the walls will be empty. Progressively throughout the first two weeks of the "exhibition," the walls will be filled in whatever manner each table decides. As the exhibition emerges, its contents will be posted online, daily, via a dedicated blog, as well as via Facebook and Twitter, at aperture.org/whatmattersnow and #whatmattersnow; allowing remote participants to respond and to create a seventh wall dedicated to ideas from the public.

Uptown Bound – 2006 show, press release (longer version)

The view from W.T.C Observation deck #1, 1994





Uptown bound

I began studying photography in 1993. From the beginning I was attracted to the lights and shadows created by subway architecture, especially the way the roofs of cars and tracks are bathed in light from the street. I always marveled at the effects so produced; they reminded me of Medieval religious paintings. Down in the station, I often felt as if I were inside of a huge fish tank, with blurry passengers and cars floating by in the depths. Illuminated by artificial light, everything looked quiet and detached from this reality. The lighting often created dreamlike shadows, sometimes creating ghostly effects. I was always fascinated with the surreal images created by this everyday environment.

I used a 35mm SLR camera for first couple of years. Then in fall 1999, I experimented with a rented Hasselblad with B & W film. Since that was a medium format camera and difficult to operate by hand, I set up a tripod on the platform with a cable release. Without a flashlight, instead I used a long exposure and a slow shutter speed in order to capture the transforming contours of shadows over time. I worked at the stations when they were relatively empty-- such as early mornings and on weekends, because I didn’t want to get unnecessary attention. Still, I was unaware of regulations prohibiting the use of tripods in stations.

In April 2000, I visited the station again with the same Hasselblad. I wanted to try color films this time. That was a sunny Sunday morning and I felt the lighting through the street level looked perfect. Just like I did before, I set up my tripod in the platform and started pressing the cable release. I continued to do so for about thirty minutes until a policeman interrupted me. That was the first time that I was ever interrupted in my shooting. I was disappointed, but the results of that half hour's work developed quite beautifully, and I felt quite blessed. The images I captured that morning were exhibited in a group show which opened at the SoHo Photo Gallery in Tribeca on Thursday, September 6th, 2001.

On the fifth day into the exhibition, Tuesday September 11th, I woke up late to see that the Twin Towers were already crushed by terrorists and had disappeared from the skyline. The world I lived in and loved for the past fourteen years had suddenly vanished. The gallery was located just a few blocks away from the WTC. The show had to be temporarily closed due to circumstances shutting off everything in Manhattan south of 14th street.

On Saturday the 15th, I visited the gallery to make sure that everything was okay. I got off the subway at 14th Street and started walking on 6th avenue, headed downtown. The skyline without the World Trade Center seemed shockingly vast and empty. The gallery itself was unaffected but the area around it was filled with dust and debris. The smell of the burning buildings was still so unbearably strong that my eyes were irritated and it was hard for me to breathe. Though the show reopened briefly by the last week of the September, the visitors were, as one would expect, few. Still I had hoped some people would stop by to enjoy the artworks for a moment, no matter how tragic the world had turned.

While the city was struggled to recover, subway cars started displaying American flags as a symbol of patriotism. Soon "The War against Terrorism" began, which was extended to war in Iraq. The world grew fearful of terrorist threats and train stations became a target--a station in Madrid was bombed in 2003, London had a bombing in its system in 2005. Homeland security in New York City grew more tightened than ever. The New York City Transit tried, unsuccessfully, to ban all photography in subways, citing "security concern."

To my friends' surprise, I did care less about the news since I no longer wanted to photograph subway stations. I stopped taking pictures in the subway not because I was afraid of breaking regulations, but because I just didn't feel like going back to the place that once so freely sparked my creative imagination. Nurtured by an artist-friendly atmosphere for years, the entire city let me be absorbed in my creative works. The city had lost its innocence in the aftermath of the attacks, and I was wondering if my faith in my home was dissolving as well. If I were a documentary photographer, I could have continued for journalistic purposes. But I was a fine art photographer. So, I decided to do something else rather than taking photos in the subways.

For the last four years, my subway photos were in my closet, hidden from the public. I had a strange feeling that it might have been inappropriate to show them. I felt as if it might be better to keep my subway photos unseen until the world was be peaceful and secure again. I had no idea when that would happen, though--probably not in my lifetime. Then, recently I took a second look at those archived photos. The neatly printed and framed pictures still looked quite fresh and beautiful. While looking at them, I remembered the chaotic time when those were last exhibited. I thought I should give them another chance to be seen.

So, here they are. I am finally able to show my subway photographs to the public again. These works remind me of the innocence of New York City before 9/11, the city I've loved so dearly since I moved here two decades ago.

Masayo Nishimura

Fall, 2006

Uptown Bound – First & Another 10th Anniversary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Masayo Nishimura
Uptown Bound – First & Another 10th Anniversary
Photography

September 8 – 16, 2011
At: Gallery 502a
Address: 526 W. 26th St., bet. 10th & 11th Ave. 5th floor, Studio 502a

Hours: 7 days a week, 2 pm – 7 pm, including Sunday Sept. 11th & Monday Sept. 12th.
*Thursday Sept. 8th will open at 5 pm, Friday Sept. 16th will close at 5 pm

*There is no opening reception, however the artist will be present in the gallery every day during open hours.
For more information, please call: 646-761-2043
E-mail: gallery502a@gmail.com

Gallery 502a is pleased to present Masayo Nishimura’s Uptown Bound, the artist’s fourth solo exhibition of her photographic works under the same title. Uptown Bound is a series of color photographs dealing with the lights and shadows created by New York City subway architecture, in which the roofs of cars and tracks are bathed in light from the street level, looking quiet, beautiful, and reminiscent of medieval religious paintings. Since Uptown Bound was first exhibited in September 2001 in New York City, it has been exhibited in various galleries including the Abrons Arts Center, Henry Street Settlement in 2008, and has been receiving enthusiastic responses from viewers, especially from people living in the city.

Nishimura began studying photography in 1993. From the beginning she was attracted to the lights and shadows created by subway architecture, especially the way the cars and tracks are bathed in light from the street. She always marveled at the effects produced. Down in the station, Nishimura often felt as if she were inside a huge fish tank, with blurry passengers and cars floating by in the depths. Illuminated by artificial light, everything looked quiet and detached from reality. The lighting often created dreamlike shadows, sometimes creating ghostly effects. Nishimura was always fascinated with those surreal images.

In fall 1999, Nishimura experimented for the first time with a rented Hasselblad and B & W film. Since it was a medium format camera and difficult to operate by hand, she installed a tripod with cable release on the platform. Instead of using a flash, she used a long exposure and a slow shutter speed to capture the transforming contours of shadows over time. Then in April 2000, Nishimura visited the station again with the same Hasselblad, this time using color film. It was a bright Sunday morning and she felt as if the lighting from the street level looked ideal. Just as she had done before, she set up her tripod on the platform and pressed the cable release. Nishimura continued to press the cable release for about thirty minutes until a policeman interrupted her. The results of that half- hour's work developed quite beautifully and she felt blessed.

The images Nishimura captured that morning were first exhibited in a solo show, which opened at the SoHo Photo Gallery in Tribeca on Thursday, September 6th, 2001. On the fifth day into the exhibition, Tuesday September 11th, she woke up late to see that the Twin Towers were already crushed by terrorists and had disappeared from the skyline. The gallery was located just a few blocks away from the WTC. The show had to be temporarily closed due to circumstances shutting off everything in Manhattan south of 14th street.

While the city was struggling to recover, subway cars started displaying American flags as a symbol of patriotism. Soon The War against Terrorism began, which was extended to war in Iraq. The world grew fearful of terrorist threats and train stations became a target, and homeland security in New York City grew more tightened than ever. The tense condition has not improved much over the decade. Now these photographic works remind her of the innocence of New York City before 9/11, the city Nishimura has loved so dearly since she moved here two decades ago.

This exhibition marks the 10th anniversary of the works since those were first exhibited in the middle of the chaotic time that changed New Yorkers lives including the artist herself forever.

About Masayo Nishimura:

Masayo Nishimura is a native of Osaka, Japan. In 1986, she moved to New York to study dance. In 1993, she began her study of photography at CUNY Hunter College under Professor Mark Feldstein, where she discovered her visual interest in NYC subway stations. She also took several workshops at the School of Visual Arts & the International Center of Photography. Since then her subway-themed photographic works have been exhibited in various galleries in New York City.

In 1996, while continuing her study of photography, she also started learning computer art at the School of Visual Arts and completed her Master of Fine Arts degree in 1999. Her thesis animation film, "Dream" – a subway love story has been screened worldwide and has won various awards including New York regional finalist of the 27th Student Academy Awards. In 2000 "Dream" was screened at the Museum of Modern Art as an official selection of the "New Directors/New Films Festival" sponsored by the Cinema Society of Lincoln Center and MOMA.
In 2000, she started working on a series of color photographs dealing with the lights and shadows created by subway architecture. The work entitled “Uptown Bound” was first exhibited in September 2001 in New York City and has been receiving enthusiastic responses from viewers. In 2008 she returned to her native land and captured everyday scenes in the Tokyo subway. Those works was first exhibited in 2011 in an exhibition titled "Recollections: From New York to Tokyo" which evoked responses from viewers as the transformation of an everyday scene into a unique expression. Currently she lives and works in New York City.
For more information please contact Masayo Nishimura:

Masayo Nishimura:
mniart@aol.com
https://ceresgallery.org/?page_id=1091