Tokyo Twilight Zone－from fire escapes by Shintaro Sato (September 24, 2009) 
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Curator Statement by the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts
All seven photographers presented this week have been selected from the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts' annual Young Portfolio Acquisitions program. The program aims at encouraging young persons enthusiastic about expressing themselves through the art of photography. The Young Portfolio Acquisitions event is not a contest. All photographers, professional or amateur and regardless of nationality, are invited to submit their published or unpublished works to be considered for induction into the Museum's permanent collection. The single condition is that applicants must not be older than thirty five years. The program started in 1995. Applicants can re-submit in subsequent years, this allows the museum to see how artists develop their vision. The museum calls for submission in April. Today's presentation: Tokyo Twilight Zone－from fire escapes by Shintaro Sato.
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Our poll "A photo essay always needs a great written story" closed. 267 people voted, 28% agrees, 72% disagrees. 233 people answered our follow-up question "Are you a photographer?" 82% indicated they are, 18% said no. Initially, negative answers to question #1 were almost 100% as was the pecentage of photographers among respondants. Then, when the level of non-photographers started to rise, the percentage of people indicating good text is always essential started to rise too. This seems to indicate that non-photographers think that adding good text to your photo essays is essential. In my opinion: if you want non-photographers to dig your work, you know what to do...
The predominant theme of my work is the unconscious beauty of the city.
Some people say that Tokyo is ugly due to its lack of city planning, and the haphazard way the city has been rebuilt over the years. But to me, the Tokyo cityscape, as seen from fire escapes, is beautiful.
Most fire escapes in Tokyo look out on backstreets. In this way, the hidden face of Tokyo becomes visible.
Viewed from a little above, these city streets and structures built out of necessity－mostly after the catastrophe of World War Ⅱ, and not for aesthetic appeal－can create strongly beautiful configurations that aren't noticeable from ground level.
This unconscious beauty in chaos always fascinates me, and it appears clearly in twilight when natural light and a man-made light that shows signs of life coexist.
Shintaro Sato (1969) lives and works in Chiba, Japan.
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