photo-eye Gallery
From the Flat-Files: Hiroshi Watanabe's Suo Saramawashi
photo-eye Gallery
Recently, while settling into the new gallery location, we had the pleasure of organizing photo-eye Gallery’s physical archive of Hiroshi Watanabe’s work. Revisiting the artist's series Suo Saramawashi was a real treat.
Recently,
while settling into the new gallery location, we had the pleasure of organizing photo-eye Gallery’s physical archive of Hiroshi Watanabe’s work. Revisiting the artist's series
Suo Saramawashi was a real treat. The stunning photographs of macaque monkeys are most notable for their candor and playfulness. In the series, we witness the thoughtful and expressive gaze of the performing monkeys in a studied but uncontrived manner.
Saramawashi, "monkey dancing," has been in existence for over a thousand years in Japan. Initially it evolved as a form of religious ritual designed to protect the horses of warriors. Later, it developed into a popular festival entertainment, with monkeys performing throughout the countryside of Japan. Saramawashi ranks alongside Noh and Kabuki as one of the oldest and most traditional of Japan's performing arts. The highly trained monkeys perform acrobatic stunts and comedic skits and are beloved by those who witness them.
Hiroshi Watanabe remembered these performing monkeys from his childhood and traveled to Japan to rediscover them. Rather than making pictures of the performances, Watanabe instead chose to produce this series of formal portraits made in a make-shift studio on location in Japan. These pictures not only portray the monkeys with great dignity and respect, but are also a beautiful, quiet reflection of Watanabe's sensitivities and artistic soul.
All of the beautiful images from this series are available as 10x10" (edition of 30) silver gelatin prints starting at $1000 — and 15x15" (edition of 15) silver prints starting at $1500. The series is also available in the form of a photo-eye Editions portfolio. This stunning limited edition portfolio is comprised of twelve pigment ink prints chosen from Watanabe's series of macaque monkey portraits and includes text by Watanabe and an official introduction from the Suo Sarumawashi Association. Limited to fifty copies along with three artist proofs, each is contained in an elegant anodized aluminum box. The pigment ink prints are made on 11x14" Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta.
About the Deluxe Limited Edition
The deluxe limited edition contains a thirteenth image, a gelatin-silver
photograph, printed, signed and numbered by the artist. Limited to
twenty copies and two artist proofs, the deluxe edition is presented in
black anodized aluminum box.
» Purchase the Limited Edition Portfolio
• • • • •
For more information, and to purchase prints, please contact photo-eye Gallery Staff at
(505) 988-5152 x202 or gallery@photoeye.com
