Yokohama is a sightseeing area that is also rich in the arts. The city, in fact, sponsors many art-related workshops. So do many private organizations and businesses. Among the many possibilities for workshops, one immediately comes to my mind: photography.
Yokohama was actually one of world’s pioneering cities of photography. Wouldn’t it be great if, as a part of the tourist experience, there were also photography workshops offered? I’m not talking about employing the conveniences of digital machines, but workshop experiences involving analog photography. Just think: what would it be like to actually create photographs using the gelatin silver process, allowing one to feel the history of Yokohama alongside the history of photography? Unfortunately, among Yokohama’s visitors, the number of people with interest in such an experience probably isn’t very high.
Even if that’s so, without trying who can really know? Taking into account the facility’s size and location, in all of Japan THE DARKROOM Yokohama is one of the few organizations that could pull off such an operation. Because of this, we’ll happily accept the challenge. This is a project I plan on taking up with all necessary parties in Yokohama to bring to fruition. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
Speaking of THE DARKROOM, from June 27th to July 3rd we are holding an exhibition eponymously called “THE DARKROOM” at the Ginza Shibuya Gallery. As the gallery will be full of superb works, please stop by and have a look. Unfortunately, a rental gallery with the necessary size and layout for this type of exhibition is no longer available in Yokohama, so it is being held in Tokyo. In Tokyo…even though our beloved Yokohama is the birthplace of pictures…Sigh.