Resistance - Portrait of Fruit

Auckland Festival of Photography presents as part of the resistance [ātete] theme, an exclusive presentation by Japanese artist, Masumi Shiohara. Drawing on his background as a fruit breeder and farmer, Shiohara’s award-winning images record and celebrate the identifying characteristics of different species of fruits that he grows. He creates photographic botanical art that not only serves as a practical tool but also depicts the multifaceted beauty of plants. We share a curated selection from his two series, The Process and Farmwork of Fruit Growth and Portrait of Fruit. The series will be presented on outdoor lightboxes, supported by Auckland Council City Centre Activation.

Masumi Shiohara was born in Nagano Prefecture in 1974. He worked as a development engineer at a microfabrication manufacturer. After leaving the company, he took over his family's orchard from his parents, and is now running the farm. He is also involved in breeding and has developed a number of varieties. While growing fruit here, he became interested in creating photographic works of art about 20 years ago, and taught himself the technique. He was asked by a botanical artist to provide the fruit on a branch, and since then he has been creating photographic artworks of fruit on branches.

The "botanical art-like white background pieces" are printed on real parchment vellum, while the "black background pieces" are printed on glossy paper. At the same time, with the theme of the importance and value of food, my works focus on the growth of fruits throughout the year and the documentation of nameless fruits that have been omitted in fruit breeding and object creation. (text courtesy Lens Culture).