SONY

Masumi Shiohara Photo Exhibition Choix des plus beaux fruits Furuit from my orchard

Inspired by the articulate description and beauty of botanical art, I have been pursuing fruit “at its best” in my work for some time. Most of the fruit I have photographed I grew myself in orchards I manage in Shiojiri, Nagano - a passion/activity that has allowed me to interject my view and what I know as a grower. At this exhibition, I am showing three series of works with both old and new projects: 1) works that express the growth process of fruits including grapes and pears up to the harvest on a single sheet, 2) works that were printed on parchment and finished like botanical art, and 3) works that shows the characteristics of fruit varieties on a black background.

With this first series of works, I have detailed the steps from pruning branches to harvest and traced the fruit’s growth throughout that process. With these latter two series, I invite you to compare the classical expression on white parchment against the more accurate and modern-looking works on the black backgrounds.
Botanical art is an accurate and detailed depiction of a plant created through the collaborative efforts of a botanist and artist in the time before photography. In the 19th century, these paintings were recognized for their artistic value and became trendy in Europe and elsewhere.

Drawn to the expression captured by this genre of art, I have chosen to print these works on parchment, which was predominantly used in Europe and the Middle East from ancient times to the Middle Ages before the widespread use of paper, because I also insist on using the materials that were prevalent back in the day. Parchment is made by stretching rawhide from a sheep, calf or some other animal over a wood frame, thinning it by scrapping with a knife, drying it and ultimately treating the surface so that paint or ink will take.

I will also be showing works on other kinds of paper like cotton paper and two works that have been selected for the Sony World Photography Awards Shortlist in the Still Life Category of the Open Competition for a second consecutive year. And, let me add that the works on the black background include hybrid varieties grown by me.

Masumi Shiohara Profile

Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1974.
While managing an orchard he tries to preserve the “most beautiful figure just before harvesting” of various fruits including those grown by himself. He photographs the fruits at night after farm work is done, and edits the captured images during winter, the quiet season.

【Exhibitions】

Solo Exhibition:
Fruit from my orchard, 72 gallery, Tokyo, 2019
Solo Exhibition:
Fruit from my orchard, Epson Imaging Gallery, Tokyo, 2018
Group Exhibition:
Budapest International Foto Awards 2019, Hybridart Space Gallery, Budapest, 2019
Group Exhibition:
Tokyo International Foto Awards 2018, Gallery Owada, Tokyo, 2019
Group Exhibition:
Sony World Photography Awards 2018, 2019, Somerset House, London, 2018, 2019
Group Exhibition:
Exhibition of Winning Works from the Sony World Photography Awards 2018, Sony Imaging Gallery, Tokyo, 2018
Group Exhibition:
Moscow International Foto Awards Exhibition, Moscow Photo Center, Moscow, 2018
Group Exhibition:
THE FENCE 7th edition, 8 cities including New York in USA and Calgary, 2018-2019
Group Exhibition:
PDN Perspectives - PhotoPlus EXPO 2018, Javits Convention Center, New York, 2018
Group Exhibition:
Tokyo International Foto Awards 2017, ICA SPACE, Tokyo, 2018
Group Exhibition:
Tokyo International Foto Awards 2016, Gallery Owada, Tokyo, 2017

【Awards】

2019

Shortlist: Sony World Photography Awards 2019, Open Competition, Still Life Category
2nd Place: CHROMATIC AWARDS, Non-Professional, Still Life-Category
Commended: International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY), Competition 13 Still Life
2nd Place: International Photography Awards (IPA) 2019, Non-Professional, Nature-Other-Category
Gold: Prix de la Photographie, Paris (PX3) 2019, Non-Professional, Advertising/Catalogues
1st Place: Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA) 2019, Non-Professional, Advertising-Category
1st Place: PDN TASTE, Amateur, Personal Work
Silver×7 Bronze×2: ONE EYELAND AWARDS 2018, Non-Professional

2018

Shortlist: Sony World Photography Awards 2018, Open Competition, Still Life Category
Winner: The FENCE 2018, Food-Category
Highly Commended: International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY), Competition 11 Portfolio
1st Place: International Photography Awards (IPA) 2018, Non-Professional
1st Place: Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA) 2018, New Talent of the Year Award and Advertising
Gold: Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) 2018, Non-Professional, Portfolio-Food
3rd Place: CHROMATIC AWARDS Non-Professional, Still Life-Category
1st Place: PDN Perspectives - PhotoPlus Expo 2018 Contest
1st Place: PDN TASTE, Amateur, Personal Work-Category
Winner: PDN Exposure Photography Award
Silver×7 Bronze×1: ONE EYELAND AWARDS 2017, Non-Professional

2017

3rd place: ND AWARDS 2017, Non-Professional, Nature-Other-Category
1st place: PDN TASTE 2017, Amateur, Commercial-Category
1st place: International Photography Awards (IPA) 2017, Professional, Food-Category
3rd Place: Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA) 2017, Non-Professional, Advertising-Category
1st place: Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) 2017, Non-Professional, Advertising
Silver: Prix de la Photographie, Paris (PX3) 2017, Professional, Nature-Category

2016

Grand Prix: Onaeba New Age Photography
1st Place: Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) 2016, Non-Professional, Science-Category