京都國際攝影祭已經來到第五屆，亦越來越備受注目了。攝影祭的策劃方式，善用了京都的歷史資源，展覽場地除了藝廊之內，還包括了寺朝、古城、歷史建築等等。看攝影作品之餘，還能參觀平常難得開放的歷史場所，不管對京都人還是旅客來說，都是難得可貴的經驗。
今屆的主題定為「LOVE」。愛是人類的本能，是全球人共有的觀念，然而由於宗教觀、歷史、地域及生活環境的差異，人們對愛的理解也有所不同。愛時而轉化成憎惡，時而轉化成暴力與傷痛；愛時而代表著關心，然而有時冷淡才是愛。愛在現代社會裡有著千千萬萬種表現形式，人們對千千萬萬種的事物產生愛的情感，無論怎樣不同，愛還是我們心裡，不由自主地誕生，這點是共通的。
京都國際攝影祭這次帶來了多輯極為動人的作品，例如吉田亮人的「Falling Leaves」是他拍攝堂兄弟與祖母的生活紀錄，堂兄弟於祖母年逾八十時，一直守在她身邊照顧其飲食，某天卻突然消失。一年後，他們在山林之中發現他的屍體，給落葉蓋著。堂兄弟自殺那年，才23歲。René Groebli的作品「The Eye of Love」，紀錄了與新婚妻子旅行時她的一舉一動。荒木經惟的「桌上之愛」，一系列的靜物照片流露著他對死亡的意識，反照出他對生存之愛。另外，香港攝影師殷家樑將展出新作「Between the Light and Darkness」，以鏡頭凝視工匠們的工具，用攝影將人、物件、環境、時間的關係，細意描繪出來。
展期由4月15日至5月14日。
This year will see the 5th KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival, which will be curated by skilfully combining the historically rich elements of Kyoto together — Apart from art galleries, the festival is also held in temples, shrines, old town and historical architectures. While appreciating the exhibits, audience can as well visit the venues that are seldom open to public. This increasingly recognized festival is an invaluable experience for both visitors and local people.
This year’s festival is themed around LOVE. Although love is a basic instinct that is shared by every human being, the way it is perceived differentiates depending on one’s religion, culture, history, geography and way of life. Love can be turned into hatred; it can become the root of violence and grief. Caring is a way to express love; but sometimes indifference attitude can also be an expression of love. There are thousands of ways to convey love, and there are thousands of things that can evoke love. Regardless of the dissimilarities, love is always a feeling that naturally grows in us, a feeling that cannot be controlled by human.
KYOTOGRAPHIE features many photography works that will surely move the audience. ‘Falling Leaves’ by Kihito Yoshida is a documentation of the life his cousin shared with his grandma. His cousin took care of his grandma when she was in her 80s, but he suddenly vanished one day. It was after a year when they found his corpse covered by fallen leaves in a thicket. He was only 23 years old when he committed suicide. René Groebli photographed his newly-wed wife during their trip through his ‘The Eye of Love’. ‘A Desktop Love’ communicates Nobuyoshi Araki’s love for being alive through a set of still life photos that express the sense of death. ‘Between the Light and Darkness’ is the latest series of work by the Hong Kong photographer Kallen Yan, who used close-ups of artisans’ tools to bring out the intimate relationship among human, objects, surrounding environment and time.
Exhibition dates: 15 April – 14 May.
