Yojiro Imasaka at Miyako Yoshinaga Gallery

Blue Bayou


Yojiro Imasaka
Miyako Yoshinaga Gallery, NYC
Sep 15 – Oct 22
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My first thoughts about Imasaka’s recent exhibition were that it was of big darkroom prints. After viewing the prints for a while, the blue tone started to sink in. I thought of what the blue tone does for the prints, and how it had an immediate calming effect on me. Blue is the color of the mind and is essentially soothing; it affects us mentally, rather than the physical reaction we have to red. Strong blues will stimulate clear thought and lighter, soft blues will calm the mind and aid concentration. It is the color of clear communication. However, it can be perceived as cold, unemotional and unfriendly. For me unemotional and unfriendly was the case. If anything, Imasaka’s prints were inviting, but also mysterious. The scale of the prints also helped me become more active in the spaces that I was viewing them.
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When looking at the images I was also struck by how the reflection of the quiet and breathtaking scenery on extremely slow-moving bayou waters deadens the sense of time. This is reinforced by his use of long exposures which allow his photos to capture time more visually. Themes of quiet, time, and the psychology of blues come through very much in this exhibition.
By Bountheng Tanakhone
Blue Bayou 35, Yojiro Imasaka, toned gelatin silver print, 2016, 9.5 x 7.5 in. .jpg