The Japanese photographer Hiroji Kubota (1939- ) is an old friend to the Chinese people. His photography once had a huge influence on the Chinese photographers. As early as the "April Film Club" was in its full swing, the exhibition Hiroji Kubota's Visit to China was inaugurated at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) on January 15, 1981. His documentary photographs inspired the youth who once favored the salon style of photography to observe the society. From 1978 to 1985, Kubota completed his China project, in which he researched and shot all provinces in China. With more than 200,000 photos taken, he once held another exhibition called China - Hiroji Kubota's Photographyin NAMOC in March 1985. After that, this group of photos had been exhibited in several important art museums in the United States, Japan, and Europe, and its catalog named China was translated into seven different languages.
Kubota graduated from the University of Tokyo with a major in politics. In his young age, he got to know Rene Burri and Elliott Erwitt—the core members of the Magnum Photos—which encouraged him to become a photographer who documents the reality of human society. He also joined the Magnum Photo Agency in 1971 and was the only Japanese photographer in the group. Kubota has a high sensibility of politics and social events. His camera has witnessed the living reality and historic changes around the world during the past 50 years, ranging from the American civil rights movement to the Vietnam War, from China’s tremendous changes, North Korea’s issues to the development of his beloved motherland.
It is Kubota’s deep feelings for China that encouraged him to return to the country after his last major exhibition here 31 years ago. This time, through the exhibition The Story of Looking, he wishes to share with the audience his unique experiences, stories, photos that transcend time and space and reflect the ever-lasting aesthetics of orientalism and realism. It enables us to interpret once again his simple, sensitive and poetic view on myriads of things in the world.
Sincere thanks to Kubota for his support to the CAFA! Our great thanks also go to all the organizations and people who have made this exhibition possible.
About Kubota
Hiroji Kubota was born in Tokyo in 1939. He studied politics at Waseda University. After graduation, he moved to New York, determined to become a photographer. In 1965, after staying in Chicago for a period, he moved back to New York to become a freelance photographer. He also gave a detailed report on the “Greater New York Special Education Program” and started to work with the Magnum Photos as the first Asian. Kubota once covered an intensive report on the occupation of Okinawa and the liberation of Saigon by the U.S. troops. He later expanded the coverage of his report to Burma, North Korea, China, and Japan. In particular, from 1978 to 1985, Kubota completed his photographic report of all provinces in China, which on and off lasted for more than seven years. Within a total of 1050 days, he shot more than 200,000 photographs in China which afterward becomes a book named Chinaand was translated into seven languages. Its namesake exhibition was held in many famous museums in the United States, Japan, Europe and China. Hiroji Kubota's photographs have had a significant impact on a large number of Chinese photographers who were active in the 1980s.
The Japanese photographer Hiroji Kubota (1939- ) is an old friend to the Chinese people. His photography once had a huge influence on the Chinese photographers. As early as the "April Film Club" was in its full swing, the exhibition Hiroji Kubota's Visit to China was inaugurated at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) on January 15, 1981. His documentary photographs inspired the youth who once favored the salon style of photography to observe the society. From 1978 to 1985, Kubota completed his China project, in which he researched and shot all provinces in China. With more than 200,000 photos taken, he once held another exhibition called China - Hiroji Kubota's Photographyin NAMOC in March 1985. After that, this group of photos had been exhibited in several important art museums in the United States, Japan, and Europe, and its catalog named China was translated into seven different languages.
Kubota graduated from the University of Tokyo with a major in politics. In his young age, he got to know Rene Burri and Elliott Erwitt—the core members of the Magnum Photos—which encouraged him to become a photographer who documents the reality of human society. He also joined the Magnum Photo Agency in 1971 and was the only Japanese photographer in the group. Kubota has a high sensibility of politics and social events. His camera has witnessed the living reality and historic changes around the world during the past 50 years, ranging from the American civil rights movement to the Vietnam War, from China’s tremendous changes, North Korea’s issues to the development of his beloved motherland.
It is Kubota’s deep feelings for China that encouraged him to return to the country after his last major exhibition here 31 years ago. This time, through the exhibition The Story of Looking, he wishes to share with the audience his unique experiences, stories, photos that transcend time and space and reflect the ever-lasting aesthetics of orientalism and realism. It enables us to interpret once again his simple, sensitive and poetic view on myriads of things in the world.
Sincere thanks to Kubota for his support to the CAFA! Our great thanks also go to all the organizations and people who have made this exhibition possible.
About Kubota
Hiroji Kubota was born in Tokyo in 1939. He studied politics at Waseda University. After graduation, he moved to New York, determined to become a photographer. In 1965, after staying in Chicago for a period, he moved back to New York to become a freelance photographer. He also gave a detailed report on the “Greater New York Special Education Program” and started to work with the Magnum Photos as the first Asian. Kubota once covered an intensive report on the occupation of Okinawa and the liberation of Saigon by the U.S. troops. He later expanded the coverage of his report to Burma, North Korea, China, and Japan. In particular, from 1978 to 1985, Kubota completed his photographic report of all provinces in China, which on and off lasted for more than seven years. Within a total of 1050 days, he shot more than 200,000 photographs in China which afterward becomes a book named Chinaand was translated into seven languages. Its namesake exhibition was held in many famous museums in the United States, Japan, Europe and China. Hiroji Kubota's photographs have had a significant impact on a large number of Chinese photographers who were active in the 1980s.
