ONAKA, Koji - The Dog in France

Statement by the photographer, Koji ONAKA

"In 1992, amidst various personal problems, I felt it would be best to let thm clear up by getting away from Tokyo for a while. That being in case, I decided on a destination where no rumour or talk would follow, France. In the flowering city of Paris, where In had no particular motive to visit, nor felt any particular attraction, too, I spent my days unable to get meals that I wanted to eat, with no ability to speak the language. Thus I retreated further into myself, and my memories of those days consist mostly of spending long evenings alone in my hotel room drinking cheap wine." (© Koji ONAKA)

Background information

"'The Dog in France' is a photobook that was created years after the photos it contained (in 2005 the self-published edition, 2008 the publication described here at Sokyu-sha) appeared. Looking back, Koji ONAKA uses the black-and-white photographs of that period to describe how he felt himself to be a loner in France / Paris in his self-imposed exile. The parallels to Daido MORIYAMA are evident: MORIYAMA also stayed in Paris for a while (resulting in his photo book 'Paris') and possibly had the same experiences, not to get food, which he liked and the language can not master - the last point is guaranteed. The motive of the roaming dog also turns up at MORIYAMA ('Eyes of a Stray Dog').

Content

The black-and-white pictures in 'The Dog in France' by Koji ONAKA have a peculiar, quiet and melancholic voice. The frequently observed diagonals in the images may indicate disorientation. 'The Dog in France' is a counterpoint to the 'European Eyes on Japan' because of the personal experience that ONAKA has documented in words and captions in the text: 'Japanese eyes on Europe'. There are many photo books on this subject, in my opinion could this be a nice collection area.

About the Japanese photographer, Koji ONAKA (b. 1960)

Photo books by Koji ONAKA