February 01 : 2023
Kenji Aoki
Kenji Aoki's winning image, originally published in the New York Times, is an ode to the sublime beauty of minimalism.
by Lily Fierman
Q:
Tell us about creating this image.
A:
The image was shot based on the article "Civilizational Collapse" and was originally published in the New York Times Magazine on November 4, 2020.
The request from the editor was to come up with some abstract ideas that deal with the concept of collapse or a moment of potential collapse. The editor immediately accepted my sketch, and it took days to complete the assignment.
The subject is to represent collapse, but I don't just mean "end" but for destruction and regeneration, which is the structure of the universal universe.
Finding a universal "beauty" was the most crucial factor for my artistic pursuits.
Image: Civilizational Collapse
Sketch for "Civilizational Collapse"
Q:
What has been the most challenging subject matter for you so far?
A:
The challenge for me is always to organize the information until I can call it "Non objects".
Q:
What or who continues to inspire you as a photographer?
A:
Inspiration is the universe, a being.
Q:
Why do you think this image, in particular, resonates with people so much?
A:
I believe this is because they saw the universal phenomenon of collapse as beauty.
Q:
If you could create a dinner party of your dreams featuring guests of your choice (including artists, designers, writers, etc. both alive and deceased), who would you invite?
A:
I would like to meet with Kazimir Malevich and ask him how he felt about painting the “Black Square”.
ARTIST
