Ichiko Uemoto “I was 18” | 2003 Excellence Award winning work

ARTIST STATEMENT

I was 18

It has been five months since I moved to Tokyo. I used to think that Tokyo was the place I should live. I still don't know if I was right. It is a little too late, but I still wonder if it is worthwhile for me to be here without you. Tokyoites are not as cold-hearted as is usually said. But I haven't been able to find anyone nice like you yet. I hope that it will happen in the near future.
I feel as if there had been no place for me to stay in the first place. I am sort of floating. I am not ready to go back to Hiroshima, but as I said to you, “I want to go home.” You said to me, “We cannot be together, but we can live our lives together.” I knew that well before you told me. I think I'm still self-centered and childish. I don't know if it is good or bad, but I have realized that I'm not that strong after all.

Selecting judge: Nobuyoshi Araki

All the good things about being eighteen. Life is overflowing. That she does not care about framing is good. She photographs great times spent with her friends-and this smile at the end. It is just great that she successfully leads us to that point.

PROFILE

Ichiko Uemoto

Born in Hiroshima in 1984. In 2003, won an encouragement award at the 6th high school students' photo message contest, sponsored by the Japan Forum. Graduated from Kamo high School in Hiroshima Prefecture. Moved to Tokyo on March 29, 2003. Currently studying photography at a vocational school of photography. She is currently working as a freelance photographer.