Selecting judge: Toshio Shibata

My interest was piqued by the surface condition of the photographs. The first thing that struck me was the extraordinary effect the artist used to render the photo images. Today’s digital photographs often render images with almost unworldly sharpness, but the lacquer coating on these works leaves the image mostly obscured. Only when we peer closely does a faint picture rise up. The scratches and surface irregularities make these panels less than perfect as craftworks. But the subtle intertwining of many elements, including these flaws, make them incredibly compelling as art. These unique pieces have already aged 10 years at the present moment, and it’s fascinating that they will continue to mutate with time. Photographs, as physical objects, deteriorate with time, whereas lacquer becomes increasingly transparent over the years. Ultimately, clear, unobstructed images will rise to the surface of these marvelous works.