As part of Universidade Nova’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka and the “Osaka in Lisbon” programme, the NOVA Cultura Programme presents an exhibition dedicated to the relationship between Portuguese photography and Japan, featuring works by Alice F. Martins, Cláudia Varejão, and Patrícia Almeida, alongside a film series showcasing works created between Portugal and Japan by André Príncipe and Marco Martins, Aya Koretzky, and Cláudia Varejão.
The exhibition, “Ichi-go Ichi-e — One Moment, One Encounter”, presents three photographic series developed in Japan by Alice F. Martins, Cláudia Varejão, and Patrícia Almeida, each exploring different aspects of Japanese society and landscape.
“A Barrier Against the Pacific”, by Alice F. Martins, was developed in Hudai, Iwate Prefecture. The series focuses on a region affected by the 2011 earthquake, which was protected from the tsunami by a system of walls and hydraulic gates.
“Ama-san”, by Cláudia Varejão, documents the work and lives of the Ama divers on the Ise-Shima Peninsula. The series captures a traditional practice of underwater fishing that remains active, portraying the daily life of this community of women.
“No Parking”, by Patrícia Almeida, stems from an observation of urban flows in Tokyo. The work centres on the movements and dynamics of the city, capturing elements of the landscape and life in the contemporary metropolis.
The exhibition’s title refers to the Japanese concept ichi-go ichi-e — “one moment, one encounter” — which highlights the importance of experience as something singular, unique, and unrepeatable, preserved through the photographs taken by these artists during their time in Japan.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a film series at the Rectorate Auditorium, featuring screenings followed by conversations with the artists. The films include Traces of a Diary (2010) by André Príncipe and Marco Martins, Yama No Anata — Beyond the Mountains (2011) by Aya Koretzky, and Ama-San (2016) by Cláudia Varejão.
Príncipe and Martins travelled to Tokyo with the aim of interviewing Japanese artists who practise diaristic photography, including world-renowned masters such as Daido Moriyama and Nobuyoshi Araki. Born in Japan, Aya Koretzky reconstructs her move to Portugal in her youth using archival materials such as videos and letters. Cláudia Varejão returns to Japan a year after her first photographic visit to create a lyrical documentary about the Ama divers, centred on the ideas of community, sisterhood, and labour.
Curated by: José Bértolo and Pedro Alfacinha
Add to calendar
