DAIDO MORIYAMA - RANDOM WALK

Daido Moriyama’s "Random Walk" presents a collection of 100 loose Polaroid images alongside a blank album, showcasing the work of the esteemed Japanese photographer. Among these Polaroids, 62 are captured in black and white, while 38 display vibrant colors. The images depict various scenes from the streets of Tokyo, possibly extending to other Japanese urban landscapes, as well as intimate moments captured in private settings, including a series focusing on a woman's feet and backside. These Polaroids can be appreciated in any sequence, offering a spontaneous journey through Moriyama's daily life, or they can be permanently arranged within the accompanying empty photo album.

Moriyama reflects on the allure of black and white photography, noting that both himself and viewers are drawn not only to the depicted events but also to the inherent "extraordinariness" conveyed through the imagery's abstraction into shades of black and white. He suggests that these monochromatic images prompt an immediate and imaginative engagement, inviting viewers to perceive a different reality—a sensation he finds particularly captivating.

Conversely, Moriyama discusses his inclination towards color photography, particularly with Polaroids, viewing them as a means to directly capture the essence of the real world. He paradoxically describes how the vivid realism captured in color Polaroids transports him to an "alien world," evoking a sense of otherness or unfamiliarity.

Ultimately, Moriyama muses that his photographic endeavors often involve seeking out realms beyond the present, suggesting that he only presses the shutter when he senses he has stumbled upon the gateway to this "alien world."