I came across the photo works by Ichiro Kojima by chance, on TV program, which was introducing his photo exhibision held in Aomori prefecture (northern part of Japan).

By that time, I didn’t know his name. He died in 1960s when he was 39 years old. He was already getting famous when he was alive, for his artistic photos of the nature and the peasant’s life in Aomori and Hokkaido. However after his death, he was almost forgotten, and also he is mostly unknown in abroad.the exhibision this year could be the revival and revaluation of his works in Japan.

The image of northern part of japan, such as Aomori and Hokkaido of that time,  may be, I suppose, similar to the image of  the northern part of the UK in 1940s-1960s.

Cold and severe climate, dull sunlight, bulk of snow, hard life…Kojima’s photos carry those images very directly , but at the same time, those severe reality turned to the   artistic and beautiful forms in his works.

Talking about some of his last works which are printed in high contrast, they are almost like the abstract paintings, getting rid of any substantial forms. 

I heard that Kojima was linked to Jean-François Millet by the critics, but  I myself, remind of the photo works by Mario Giacomelli from Kojima’s works.