On Monday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m., St. Olaf College will host a lecture by photographer Noritaka Minami in Dittman Center 305. Minami is a visual artist based in Chicago, but he was born in Japan. Minami studied studio art and visual studies at the University of California, continuing his career as a professor of photography at Harvard University, Wellesley College, UC Berekely and UC Irvine.
Minami’s main focus in his art is to investigate, commemorate and make permanent history and historical sites through photography. A current project of his, titled “1972,” beautifully captures the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, Japan. This tower was built in postwar Japan in the 60’s. It is made from removable living capsules ten square meters in size, and its architectural style was named “metabolism” as it was supposed to represent progress and harmony.
While it was a possible future of residential architecture when it was built, today the building remains one of a kind. With possible demolition facing the unique architectural creation, Minami decided to document the site so that its historical and cultural importance would not be forgotten. These photos were collected in a book published by Kehrer Verlag, a German publisher that specializes in books of fine art and photography. Minami’s book received the distinction of winning the 2015 Deutsches Architekturmuseum Book Award.
Minami’s work is highly regarded in artistic communities around the world, and this event will be worth attending for all interested in photography, history or art in general.
The lecture is open to the public, and admission is free of charge.
