The most worthwhile photography exhibition of 2020: Japanese photographer Shoji Ueda’s magical moments in the sand dunes

By / Scenic Spots Family compiled report 
 
A total of 140 works from 11 series, including the classic "Sand Dunes" series by renowned Japanese photographer Shoji Ueda, are being exhibited in Taiwan. Through the "20th Anniversary Memorial Retrospective Exhibition of Shoji Ueda," photography enthusiasts in Taiwan can get to know one of Japan’s most distinctive photographers, as well as the globally beloved "Ueda-style."

This exhibition is curated by Masako Sato, a heavyweight Japanese photography curator who has previously organized exhibitions for Western photography masters such as Robert Doisneau and Saul Leiter. For the opening of the Taipei exhibition, she and Ueda’s grandson, Hiroshi Masutani, also made a special trip to Taiwan. She mentioned that unlike previous exhibition venues, the display at Taipei Huashan 1914 Creative Park brings viewers even closer to the warmth of everyday life discovered in Ueda’s works.

“The themes Ueda loved most were the landscapes and customs of San’in, where he was born and raised. But his works possess a universality that transcends regional characteristics and time, continuously offering audiences new surprises and profound emotions,” Ms. Sato explained. Through her narrative, visitors can look forward to being “touched and moved” during the exhibition experience.

This rare exhibition showcases 141 precious original works from early to late in his career, including Ueda’s classic "Sand Dunes" series, as well as several later series highly praised for their fashion photography. In 1937, Ueda released "Four Girls," featuring young girls near the Sea of Japan, representing his pre-WWII practice of "staged photography." This piece is not only a must-see in this exhibition but also the image on the limited-edition commemorative ticket for the Taipei event—definitely a small collectible not to be missed by Ueda fans.