Tomohiro Sato’s exhibition “By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.” 4/6-4/14
We are pleased to announce the exhibition of Tomohiro Sato’s photography titled “By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.” at Reminders Photography Stronghold. Sato participated in the photobook production workshop “PHOTOBOOK AS OBJECT” held in 2022, where he worked on creating this series. The Sumida River, a main setting for this project, is one of the tributaries of the Arakawa River and connects to his hometown in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture. Photographs taken while traveling upstream have evoked fragments of childhood memories. Moreover, Sato realized that many places and activities he enjoys with his own children now overlap with memories of times spent with his parents during his childhood. This series portrays the tenderness and melancholy of parent-child relationships that eventually drift apart across generations, the ambiguity of memories that blur the line between past and present, all depicted along the flow of the river. We invite you to enjoy the exhibition at the venue.
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
I have been living along the river for more than 30 years.
Suddenly, I came up with the idea. I walked from downstream to upstream of Arakawa Sumida Rivers where I now live.
There were more structures and no people than I expected. The area is quiet and serene. But there were signs of life. The scenery downstream was different from my childhood memories, and I was surprised to discover something unknown.
Although I have few memories of my childhood, I still vividly recall the memory of the river. Catching fish in the upper stream, often playing in the flume flowing from the river midstream while leaving school and so on.
I searched for old photos, tracing my fragmented memory, but I could not find any. My memory is vague as to whether or not I took photographs in the childhood. Now, more than 30 years after my childhood, I am living by the river with my own children.
Death is buried by the river. There would have been parents and children there. The structures along the river are serene, as if they were built as cenotaphs or tombstones to honour something. If cenotaphs, tombstones and photos are devices for remembering death, what is it that we are trying to remember?
Memories repeatedly appear in front of my eyes, as the signs left behind in the river overlap with the photographs. I am still searching for something I was separated from in my childhood.
Tomohiro Sato
Tomohiro Sato’s exhibition “By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.”
◎Dates：April 6th (Sat)〜 April 14th (Sun), 2024 1-7pm / Open daily, No admission fee
◎Opening reception / Artist Talk : April, 6th (Sat) , 2024 7pm-
◎Venuw：Reminders Photography Stronghold Gallery
Higashimukojima 2-38-5, Sumidaku, Tokyo
(6 mins walk from Tobu Skytree Line, Hikifune Station / 5mins walk from Keisei Hikifune Station)
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato
By the river, I can’t hear the seagulls cry.©︎Tomohiro Sato