Kamenga mental hospital, Burundi by Ryo Kameyama (September 29, 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 All photographers, professional or amateur and regardless of nationality, are invited to submit their published or unpublished works to be considered for induction into the Museum's permanent collection.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: Kamenga mental hospital by Ryo Kameyama.
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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...
There is a church in the middle of Kamenge mental hospital. On each side of the church, there is a ward separately for women and men. These patients are the victims of the war. Some directly and some indirectly. The hospital is impoverished by the civil war, it can’t provide enough treatment.
A woman tried to run away from the battle, and lived in the jungle for several years by herself. She was, at last, found by her family and was brought here. Her hands and feet were severely infected. She sits down holding her knees most of the time, without saying a word.
A boy, Oscar, was brought here by his brothers. One day, their mother was killed because she was Tutsi. Oscar tried to kill one of the murderers with a hatchet. He was caught and tied by a rope. The rope was tied so tightly that it encroached his arm to the muscle. After a while in the hospital. he ran away at night. He had no money to pay.
Since the 60’s, the war between Tutsis and Hutus intensified due to the puppet governments of Germany and Belgium.
In such a small country, the ordinary people who used to live as one nation began to fight. They had primitive weapons such as rocks and sticks in their hands. And all this was for the discrimination against each other. There were millions of victims. Politicians planted fear and doubts. And suspicion and chaos brought out insanity.
Ryo Kameyama (1976) lives and works in .
Click weblink ryokameyama.com or browse our archives
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