It's quite surprising to find out that "Kawauchi Rinko: Illuminance, Ametsuchi, Seeing Shadow" is Rinko Kawauchi's first solo exhibition in Tokyo. For a winner of prestigious photography prizes, who has published multiple books — not to mention held major exhibitions overseas — this mid-career show is well and truly due.
Kawauchi has the special privilege of being one of very few Japanese contemporary photographers to have published three books simultaneously: "Utatane," "Hanabi" and "Hanako" were all released in 2001. "Utatane" and "Hanabi", lead to her receiving the Kimura Ihei Award, one of Japan's most prestigious awards for young up-and-coming photographers, bestowed shortly after their professional debuts.
It has been a long wait, but the end product — held at Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography — is one of the most emotionally satisfying exhibitions of the year. The museum has put together a modestly sized showcase of Kawauchi's more recent works, including the debut of three videos — and walking through the show is a beautiful, calm, even meditative experience.