Seen: 骨の髄 / Down to the Bone
Who: 甲斐啓二郎 / Keijiro Kai
Where: Totem Pole Photo Gallery, Shinjuku
When: May 10 - 22, 2016
This exhibition of Down To The Bone is the continuation of a series of work that Kai exhibited at Totem Pole last year. Similar to his series of local English medieval-football festivals, Kai, a freelance sports photographer, is drawn to celebrations where cultural heritage is carried on through a throbbing, brawling sort of competitive action among groups of men. The pictures here were all taken in Akita prefecture in Rokugo, in the city of Misato. The festival event pictured is called “Takeuchi”, and in it groups of men use six-meter long bamboo poles to try and push the opposing side across a snowy field over the course of three rounds- the final one consisting of the same poles, but lit on fire. Once the event is over, the men from both sides come round and celebrate together over food and, like all festivals, lots of drink. Kai’s pictures explain none of these details- but they don’t need to. They’re not illustrations or explanations of a particular event but rather expressions of an atavistic energy that’s given form through bamboo and scuffed motorcycle helmets each winter.
It’s worth noting that this series is shot entirely on film (Fuji Pro 400H with Mamiya 7- viewers will quickly realize that Kai is deep within the mob, ducking and dodging poles swung by men fueled by adrenaline, tradition, and possibly alcohol. It’s a fine series of pictures- the experience is most powerful in person, facing the 22x28 prints there on the walls. Despite the fact they were digitally printed the nature of the film shows through.
Kai was recently awarded the “Society of Photography” prize- this prize is coveted among photographers in Japan due to its lack of corporate ties- it’s a recognition that was created by photographers, for photographers- and one that Kai rightfully deserves.