Kazu Hishida: Home, in a Way
Blend Studio, Nashville
Opening September 2, 6pm -9pm
Contact: Ben Vitualla, Gallery Director
615-852-7009, blendstudio79@gmail.com
Blend Studios presents Home, in a Way, an exhibit of photographs by Kazu Hishida. Home, in a Way is the debut exhibit for Hishida, a Nashville photojournalist. It focuses on his latest series of joyous, candid moments of connection. Gallery director Ben Vitualla says, “I’m proud that Blend Studio will be the first gallery to show Kazu’s work as an artist. His human, uplifting glimpses of life are what we all need right now, and they come from an authentic place. Viewers will enjoy his expert use of the camera, and they will hopefully come away from the show with a feeling of connection to the artist and their own communities.”
Hishida has been honing his art since the days of film, finding a years-long sense of expression and belonging through photography. He believes that humans are drawn to photography as a personal act of documenting memories. “Where a video tells the story as it actually happened, leaving little range for interpretation, a picture acts as a wick, igniting the dormant powder kegs of memories we’ve involuntarily associated with the details.” His childhood and teenage years of nomadic back and forth between his parents’ homes and around the country gave him a range of experiences and raw insight. “[It] left me with only one real, viable option: take pictures. Take lots and lots of pictures. But not in-the-face, intrusive ones. Candid, no-flash, no-looking, no-way-they-saw-me pictures. Get as close to the moment as possible, without actually being in the moment.”
Home, In a Way represents Hishida’s exploration of spontaneous, honest moments of jubilation. His subjects, often unaware of his camera, are captured at events where they are “playing roles and immersing themselves in artificial worlds.” Hashida’s balanced compositions may look staged, but they are the result of chance. His eye for composition and for moments of pure emotion combine in thoughtful, exuberant images. He says, “I’m a photojournalist, and I focus on celebration. I don’t want to cover war, hurt, atrocities, suffering.” The show offers a break from today’s news of discord and tragedy through the artist’s upbeat, fun documentary style. It also offers viewers an encounter with the public vs. private self.
The show will open during the First Saturday Artcrawl in September. Blend Gallery is located on the second floor of the Downtown Arcade. Hours are available upon request. Visit blendstudio.wordpress.com or Facebook for more information.
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