File 2: Kotori Kawashima (Yokohama, 1980)
Kawashima is probably one of the most important and active young photographers in Japan in both fine art and commercial photography. Kawashima obtained his bachelor’s degree in French literature from the First Department of Literature at Waseda University. After his graduation, Kawashima studied under Genqui Numata. Kawashima has published many self-publications as well as “BABY BABY” (Shinpusha, 2007), “Mirai chan” (Nanarokusha, 2011), “Myojo” (Nanarokusha, 2014), “Oyasumi kami tachi” (2014) and many others. Kawashima received “The 40th Kimura Ihei Award” (2015), The photography award at “The 42th KODANSHA SHUPPAN Culture prize” (2011) and The Grand Prize at “The 10th Itaru Hirama by Shinpusha” (2006). Kawashima showed his work at Gallery Momo (Tokyo, 2018), CMP Block Museum of Arts, Taizhong (Taiwan, 2016), Shibuya PARCO MUSEUM, (Tokyo, 2015), IMA CONCEPT STORE (Tokyo 2015) and many other galleries and museums.
The portfolio he shares with us includes ‘Nijiro Murakami,’ portrait of a Japanese actor and “Mirai chan,” daily life of a young girl, probably his most popular series to the western audiences. Beauty of his photography resides in his intense dedication to his subject. Even though he invests his powerful perception to his sitter, there is no judgement in his photos and he remains calm and neutral toward whatever subject he is taking care of. Kawashima lends the impression of being fair to anybody he encounters, and I respect this non-judgemental approach as a professional photographer and as a person. It is not always an easy thing to do! He is not afraid to take in everything in front of his eyes, including things that might be unfavorable to his personal beliefs.
Kawashima definitely founds his own utopia where people comfortably reveal who they are; there’s no forced power found there. His love and devotion to photography make me reaffirm my direction as a photobook specialist and that’s the reason why I admire his work.
Favorite Photographers: Larry Clark, Yurie Nagashima and Kazutomo Tashiro
Kotori Kawashima Official Website
川島小鳥 (1980年・横浜生まれ)
早稲田大学第一文学部仏文科卒業後、沼田元氣氏に師事。『BABY BABY』(2007)、『未来ちゃん』（2011）、『明星』（2014）、谷川俊太郎との共著『おやすみ神たち』（2014）、『ファーストアルバム』（2016）、台南ガイドブック『愛の台南』（2017）等多数。第42回講談社出版文化賞写真賞、第40回木村伊兵衛写真賞を受賞。
今回、セッションプレスの特集のために提出いただいた作品は、俳優の村上虹郎さんのポートフォリオと、海外でも人気の高い『未来ちゃん』シリーズです。川島さんの作品の美しさの第一の理由は、被写体への集中力の強さ、愛の深さにあると思います。日常の些細な一コマをとらえた作品からも、最大の威力で語りかけてくる川島さんの「覚悟」に圧倒されます。おそらく、川島さんの前では、どんな小手先のずるさも通用しないのではないかと、こちらの背筋が伸びて、そのまっすぐな生き方を、自分自身も目指すことを誓い、強く惹きつけられるためだと思います。また、川島さんの作品から気づくことは、どのような被写体でも川島さんの視線が一貫してフラット（中立）であることです。人を見かけや、年齢や、性別で差別しない川島さんの強さとポリシーを感じます。達観した姿勢から、荒木さんの作品に通じる懐の広さを感じます。
好きな写真家：ラリークラーク、長島有里枝、田代一倫