Digitising Akihiko Okamura’s Irish Archive for The Memories of Others

11 April - 06 July 2024

The Memories of Others programme is the result of many years of research and collaborations seeking to cast light on this extraordinary archive and elucidate the “Okamura mystery”: Why would a Japanese person choose to settle down and start a family in Ireland at the height of the conflict?

Why was he so tied to a history that was not his own, and to the memories of others? While the mystery also contributes to the beauty of this archive, a few elements help us to better understand Okamura’s fate and the historical and contemporary scope of his work.    Pauline Vermare

Background: In 2020 curator, writer and photo historian Pauline Vermare contacted the team at Photo Museum Ireland to propose a programme to present the first solo exhibition of the Irish work of Akihiko Okamura. The proposal combined Pauline’s unique expertise in the fields of Japanese and Irish photography which, in turn, facilitated an introduction to the curatorial advisor to the Estate of Akihiko Okamura - curator and writer Masako Toda. Photo Museum Ireland was aware of and drawn to Okamura’s work which it first encountered in the Strange and Familiar 2016 exhibition curated by Martin Parr that featured a small number of Okamura’s Irish works. Leading writer on photography Sean O’Hagan (who has written extensively on the Troubles) featured Okamura’s work in his review of the show and agreed to join the curatorial panel.

The project planning and long-listing of images unfolded online in 2023 with the first in-person curatorial meeting taking place in November 2022. The Estate of Okamura was expertly managed by Masako Toda who compiled a book about Akihiko Okamura’s Photographs and Texts in 2020 published by Akaaka Art Publishing. Though some images had been digitised, much of the Irish work had not yet been digitised. The Estate generously agreed to the project and in July 2023 Masako Toda brought the original transparencies to Ireland. Masako worked closely with Brendan Maher, digital archivist at Photo Museum Ireland to oversee the digitisation and test printing of the selected works.

Spanning the period from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, Akihiko Okamura's work offers a unique perspective on a tumultuous period in the unfolding history of Ireland. His decision to settle in Ireland resulted in a body of work that transcends conventional photojournalism to offer a more subjective perspective - one that reveals the artist's profound connection to his subject matter.

Image: Masako Toda, Curator and Photo Historian and Digital Archivist Brendan Maher review the archive of Akihiko Okamura © Pauline Vermare 2023

This endeavour resulted in the digitisation of selected images from Okamura’s Irish work for inclusion in the 2024 programme which includes an exhibition, photobook edited by Pauline Vermare and published by Atelier EXB and Prestel and a documentary film directed by Pauline Vermare and Marc Lesser for Lucky Tiger Productions. Through archival digitisation, Photo Museum Ireland aims to preserve and share Okamura's unique share vision for now and for future generations to enjoy. Our digitisation process adheres to the highest archival standards to ensure the integrity and longevity of Okamura's photographs. Each image undergoes careful scanning and cleaning to ensure the highest quality digital negatives are obtained.

Through advanced imaging technologies, we capture the subtle nuances and vibrant colours that define Okamura's distinctive style. In return the Estate of Akihiko Okamura generously agreed to donate a set of prints to our Archive of Contemporary Irish Photography Collection established to preserve, promote and share important series of works by artists working in Ireland.

Be a part of this transformative initiative by supporting our efforts to digitise and preserve Akihiko Okamura's Irish archive.

Your contribution ensures that his powerful visual narrative continues to inspire and enlighten audiences for years to come.

This exhibition is produced by Photo Museum Ireland in collaboration with the Okamura Archive, Tokyo, and the Estate of Akihiko Okamura, Hakodate.  Photo Museum Ireland also wishes to thank the Okamura family for their assistance with this exhibition. Curatorial team: Pauline Vermare, Sean O’Hagan, Masako Toda, Trish Lambe and Brendan Maher. All images;  © Estate of Akihiko Okamura / ©佐藤純子