A photo exhibition by photographer Naoki Ishikawa opened on December 6th at the White Mountaineering flagship store in Omotesando, Tokyo, and will run until the 15th.
The exhibition features photographs taken during Ishikawa's expedition to Lhotse (8,516m), the world's fourth highest peak, which he summited in the spring of 2013. Also on sale are the photo book "Lhotse" (2,940 yen) and original T-shirts produced by White Mountaineering (3,990 yen).
White Mountaineering designer Yosuke Aizawa met Ishikawa through an acquaintance, and the two collaborated on a T-shirt for Ishikawa's solo exhibition "Manaslu," held last year. "Ever since we opened our Omotesando store, I've wanted to display Ishikawa's photos here. As someone who designs clothes with an 'outdoor' theme, I can relate to Ishikawa's diverse activities in many ways," said Aizawa.
Ishikawa, who just returned from the Himalayas three weeks ago, also saw the exhibit on the first day and recalled, "When I successfully climbed Everest for the second time in 2011, I headed to the neighboring Lhotse peak, hoping to see Everest from its peak. The peak of Everest was surprisingly sharp." He also spoke about mountains, saying, "Snowy mountains are fun. (When I reach the summit) I feel happy to realize that I'm in such a place. I get to see an unknown world, and when it comes to 8,000-meter-high mountains, I climb because I feel like I've exhausted my climbing skills and my entire body." When asked about his future plans, he enthusiastically stated, "I'm planning to climb Makalu next spring as the culmination of my Himalayan journey, in order to complete a five-part photo book. I think it will become my masterpiece."
Ishikawa Naoki was born in Tokyo in 1977. He completed his doctoral studies in fine arts at the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School. He is a special research fellow at the Institute of Art Anthropology, Tama Art University. In 2000, he participated in the "Pole to Pole" project, traveling from the North Pole to the South Pole. The following year, he climbed the highest peaks on all seven continents. He is interested in anthropology and ethnology, and continues to produce works themed around his travel experiences.
【Event Information】
Naoki Ishikawa Photo Exhibition "Lhotse"
Venue: White Mountaineering Flag Shop
Address: 1F, 4-21-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Dates: December 6th to 15th
Time: 12:00 to 20:00 (until 16:00 on the 6th only)
