21 October to 22 October 2017
It is said that we find the true precious value of life only in the reflection of death, in all its forms. Come join us for a weekend of reflection on this veteran photographer’s work which asks us if there is any value in killing a human being. Does it contradict our desire to celebrate life and to live it?
About the exhibition:
Toshi Kazama’s subjects mostly stare straight into the lens or show their profile, looking at distant sources of light. Some are smiling shyly, others look serious or absent-minded. Despite their varying backgrounds, they have one thing in common: They are all juvenile offenders on death row. Toshi Kazama is firmly opposed to the death penalty and has now been campaigning against it through his work since 1996, when he embarked on this unusual project, meeting and photographing juvenile death row inmates in the United States and Asia.
Twenty searing black-and-white photographs will be on display at Celebrating Life exhibition, including images of the young death-row inmates, execution chambers, as well as family members of people who were killed and who have reached out to the killers.
A chance photographic project assignment for former United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor changed the life of New York-based Japanese photographer Toshi Kazama forever. The assignment piqued his curiosity and resulted in his first photo session with a young American on death row for two counts of murder. Despite considerable trepidation, the ‘monster’ he expected to meet turned out to be a normal-looking child with extremely limited intelligence. As Kazama saw this young boy in front of him, “I couldn’t resist shaking his hand, as I do with all my subjects. Then I hugged him. That changed my life forever. I felt that if I were to neglect his life, I would be neglecting my own life”.
His photographs are always black and white, stark and bare, focused on the instruments of state-sponsored execution or on those waiting for their lives to be ended. A former commercial photographer, Kazama has now dedicated his life to the abolition of the death penalty.
From 21 October to 22 October, Celebrating Life exhibition by New York-based photographer Toshi Kazama will open at Visual Arts Centre.
Capturing the intimate portraits of people on death row and the methods of execution, Kazama brings an unflinchingly personal look into the realities of this system and its form in the USA and Taiwan.
Focus on Life: A Photography Workshop
Join Toshi Kazama as he walks us through his art, and his inspiration behind crafting each image. Suitable for photography enthusiasts and photographers regardless of skill level.
October 20, 6PM – 8PM, at Visual Arts Centre Exhibition Gallery. Snacks and refreshments will be served.
Through registration only: https://goo.gl/forms/EsalpJNLv5JNMBqG3
项永昌88回顾展 James Hong Yung Chung Retrospective
Visual Arts Centre is an exhibition gallery and art studio at Dhoby Ghaut Green supported by the National Parks Board and the National Arts Council.
Since its initiation on 31 January 2016, the Visual Arts Centre Exhibition Gallery has hosted over two hundred international and local art and design exhibitions, boasting a diverse range of art styles and programmes.
Email:
info@visualartscentre.sg
Phone:
+65 6255 0711
+65 6733 2155
In the Batik Introduction Handkerchief Painting workshop, participants will learn the traditional art of batik, a wax-resist dyeing technique originating from Indonesia. The workshop begins with a brief history and overview of batik, highlighting its cultural significance and various techniques. Participants will then observe a demonstration of applying wax with tjanting tools and dyeing the fabric. Following the demonstration, each participant will design and create their own batik handkerchief, applying wax to create patterns and then dyeing their fabric. The workshop concludes with a group discussion, allowing participants to share their creations and reflect on their learning experience.
