2018.07.04
Between “Seeing” and “Photographing”:
Exploring the possibilities of photography gear
SIGMA was a main sponsor of KG+2018, a satellite event of the Kyoto- based photography festival KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018. As part of our participation in KG+2018, SIGMA also hosted a variety of photography- related events and presentations.
On SEIN ONLINE, we are going to introduce some of the events we hosted and sponsored during the festival’s month-long running time in detail. For this first part of the series, we start off by giving a brief overview of each individual event.
Projects for upcoming artists and curators
SIGMA was a main sponsor of KG+2018, a satellite event of the KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018 photography festival held in Kyoto between April 13 and May 13, 2018. KG+2018 featured a series of events and projects that aim to highlight and support up-and-coming artists and curators.
As part of our sponsorship, we supplied winners of the KG+ Award with photographic gear and opportunities to exhibit their work. SIGMA also took part in the KG+ program as an exhibitor by hosting the ’SIGMA Satellite Gallery in Kyoto’ in Kyoto’s SferaExhibition space.
Visitors to the SIGMA Satellite Gallery were able to enjoy a special exhibition of works by Japanese photographer Go Itami as well as various photography-related talk events. Also part of the show was ‘KG+ × SIGMA’, an exhibition showcasing products from SIGMA’s catalogue of lenses and cameras as well as purchasable limited edition items.
Why we took part in KG+
As a manufacturer, we think sincerely about the relationships between technology and expression, between photographs and the tools used to create them. We develop and manufacture our unique cameras and lenses guided by the motto “photographic gear for artists”.
There are few things we value as highly as our manufacture: among them are creating new and diverse opportunities to experience the richness and wonder of photography as an art and supporting artists that challenge the limits of photographic expression.
We consider joining KG+ this year as a further step in our mission of exploring the possibilities of photography and photographic gear and shortening the gap between the acts of ‘seeing’ and ‘photographing’.
KG+ Award — Grand Prix and Finalists
The KG+ Award is an exceptional award. For the duration of the show, the KG+ Award and its solo exhibitions highlight noteworthy works in the fields of photography, video and installation, without restrictions for age, profession, nationality or experience.
Finalists
Nicolas Auvray “Lisa + Attractions Nocturnes”
Yukiko Sugiyama “CRASH”
Masaki Kiuchi “Tangent”
Kenryou GU “Utopia”
Naotatsu Kaku “Choreography by Choreography”
Grand prize winner
“Utopia” by Kenryou Gu
Kenryou Gu’s series “Utopia” explores the question of modern age utopias. Gu’s faithfully recorded images outline utopias which let us reconsider our understanding of our modern world and the definition of possible paradises.
KG+ Main Program — Galleries and exhibitions
Special Photography Exhibition
“photocopy #2” — Go Itami solo exhibition with FOVEON at SIGMA Satellite Gallery in Kyoto
At the SIGMA Satellite Gallery in Kyoto, we held an exhibition of new works by internationally acclaimed photographer Go Itami. The exhibition, titled “photocopy”, featured works which were almost exclusively taken with the SIGMA sd Quattro H and the SIGMA dp3 Quattro cameras.
KG+ Main Program — Talk Events
A variety of seminars and talk events were part of our program at the SIGMA Satellite Gallery in Kyoto. Each event drew a large audience that engaged in passionate conversation. Please stay tuned for more detailed reports on each individual talk event in the coming weeks.
Overview
“Yet another photography skill: photo-engraving and the Foveon sensor”
Lecturer: Hitoshi Suzuki
A seminar aimed at photographers and creators. According to book designer Hitoshi Suzuki, “the photobook is point of destination for the photographer”, and “printing and printmaking techniques [photographic processing etc.] are indispensable skills”.
“Talking about photography, talking about cameras”
Discussion: Hitoshi Suzuki × Go Itami
A dialogue about photography and photography techniques. Go Itami challenges his own perspective on photography in a dialogue with Hitoshi Suzuki.
“Ways of Seeing — Seeing and photographing”
Discussion: Go Itami × Mika Kobayashi
Photographer Go Itami in discussion with photography researcher Mika Kobayashi. Third part of a special talk session and part of KYOTOGRAPHIE’s public program.
SEIN Online Special Talk Event: “Photo Hironobu”
with Hironobu Tanaka
A special talk event with Hironobu Tanaka whose series “Photo Hironobu” is being published in the Japanese version of SEIN Online.
Special Talk Session – KYOTOGRAPHIE Public Program
SIGMA presents special talk event “Living through Photography” with speakers Yusuke Nakanishi, Yusuke Nakajima and Tomo Kosuga
Yusuke Nakanishi, Yusuke Nakajima and Tomo Kosuga – each with a different career background – discuss the joys and difficulties as well as national and international opportunities that are part of photography as a profession.