A photo exhibition titled "Snow Forest" by Niseko-based ski photographer Yoichi Watanabe is currently being held at the Tomioka White Museum in Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture
a man who had a profound influence on Watanabe
Watanabe is one of Japan's leading ski photographers, having published his photographs in ski media such as BRAVOSKI since the 1990s. With skiing as his lifestyle, he spent his 30s traveling around the world, both domestically and internationally, photographing ski resorts around the world.
His subjects include fellow skiing friends, including some of the most iconic skiers of the time. Watanabe's style is to photograph everyone equally, whether they're professionals or amateurs, adults or children, once they've put on skis.
Watanabe's photos of their riding were featured in Patagonia advertisements and in magazines such as POWDER MAGAZINE at the time.
In addition to being published in magazines, the photos he took are also constantly being released through photo books and exhibitions.
A veteran freeskier, snowboarder, and telemark skier representing today's skiing scene, he has transcended the genres of equipment and is known as a "skier." His photos of him skiing around the world are published.
Among many photographers, Watanabe was skilled at skiing. He puts on his skis and goes into snowy mountains and forests to take photographs. And while he was on skis and in snowy mountains all over the world, he noticed something. Most of the places in the world where you can ski are "Alpine" areas with exposed rocks. The
Alps are a world where rocks dominate and no living creatures exist. On the other hand, Japan is surrounded by forests and is filled with a diverse range of living creatures, who live by supporting each other. Perhaps this spirituality is also alive in the Japanese people. It was
Watanabe, who has traveled the world, who noticed this and has captured the world he saw in photographs in this exhibition.
"I've been skiing for a long time, skiing all over the world and presenting my work. When it comes to skiing, people tend to focus on the gear, the skiers, the cool turns and jumps, but you can't ski without a place to ski. This time, my work focuses on the surrounding areas where I have the opportunity to play, such as the mountains, trees and nature," says Watanabe
Watanabe goes into the mountains to ski, and he photographs the trees and forests he encounters there. These are landscapes he encounters while skiing, and while they are landscape photographs, they are also scenes that one would never encounter if one were not skiing
Although he photographs skiing, he does not focus solely on the skiers. He pays attention to the entire environment surrounding the skiers, including the surroundings and the tracks they leave behind, and takes pictures of things that he finds beautiful
His interest in nature is not something he has just started, as he has been taking photographs for a long time. However, his awareness has increased in recent years due to the increasing concern about the global environment and the development of Niseko, where he lives
"I have consistently been depicting the symbiosis between people and nature. There are many categories of skiing, but the point remains the same: venturing into nature. Everyone talks about the equipment they need to ski, but no one talks about the places they ski or the nature. If it's the same thing as skiing, I think we should talk more about those things. But I had a question: who would do that?
The other issue is the global environmental problem. With record-breaking heavy rains and light snowfall, the nature surrounding the Earth and snow is clearly changing. I want to document this as a skier and photographer, and raise issues about how we can face this and live our lives
The Niseko area where I live now is getting a lot of attention for its skiing and snowboarding. Real estate is being developed, and trees are being cut down. Properties are being advertised in a flashy way. The environment where I live, close to home, is being destroyed. I wasn't born and raised in Niseko; I love the place and moved there of my own volition, so I'm more sensitive than most to these things. My message is to say, 'Let's all think together about the destruction of our beautiful natural environment.'"
"Snow Forest" captures nature through skiing, and shows a world that goes beyond mere sports photography. As people who enjoy snowy mountains, perhaps it's time to face the natural environment and snow and think about the snow forest
Minamiuonuma City Tomioka White Museum
Address: 142 Kamiyakushido, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture
10:00-17:00
Admission fee: 500 yen
The photo exhibition will run until March 23rd
*The museum will be closed from February 1st to 26th due to renovation work.
For more information, please see the special exhibition website.
http://www.6bun.jp/white/
Yoichi Watanabe
is a photographer who travels to snowy mountains around the world, producing and publishing photographs.
He lives in Niseko, Hokkaido, and continues to photograph skiing, primarily to document the climate and lifestyle of snowy regions. He has been publishing Stuben Magazine since 2015, introducing snow culture from around the world from a unique perspective. In February 2020, he published the photo book "Snow: The Essence of the Winter Forest."