© NOGUCHI Rika

A Prime #8

ArtistNOGUCHI Rika
Year1997
Material/ Techniquechromogenic print
Size/ DurationH66.9 × W95.6cm
Copyright Notice© NOGUCHI Rika
Year of acquisition/ donation2003
DescriptionBorn in Saitama, Japan in 1971. Lives and works in Okinawa.

Noguchi Rika began creating photographic work in 1992. In 1994 she graduated from the Department of Photography at the Nihon University College of Ar t. She lef t the Image Ar ts Course at the University’s Graduate School of Art in 1995, unveiling her "To Dive" series at a solo show held the same year. As can be seen in this series, which consists of underwater scenes and divers, as well as in her "A Prime" series, which consists of photographs of Mount Fuji and mountain climbers, Noguchi’s work is characterized by sense of floating and diaphaneity arising from the subtle distance she maintains between herself and her subjects. Rather than capturing the scenes that enter her field of vision, Noguchi decides on a point of view based on an image of the kind of scene she wishes to discover. This creative approach has been at the heart of her work since "A Prime", and is richly realized in the countless series she has produced over the years.

The "A Prime" series has been ongoing since 1997, with a total 17 pieces having been exhibited thus far. "A Prime" consists of photographs of the slopes of Mount Fuji, reminiscent of some unexplored wilderness, the atmosphere and light that surround it, and mountain climbers, all taken while the artist herself was climbing the mountain. The captured images speak of Noguchi’s unique perspective, by which she eschews all attachment to her subjects yet avoids simply remaining aloof or totally objective. According to Noguchi, as the English title suggests, it is a “work about prime numbers.” This reflects the search for the primal that is a constant theme of Noguchi’s creative endeavors. Here, prime numbers represent the most fundamental elements that cannot be broken down any further, or as Noguchi puts it, “our primitive landscape, or a perspective as seen by a being arriving from outerspace.” The "A Prime" series is still ongoing, reflecting the fact that the search for prime numbers itself is still continuing.

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