THEME #17Winners2020NOV

LIFE

SHORT LIST

DETAIL

Statement

Pregnancy

"Pregnancy" (Figure 1) is a self-portrait taken from my husband’s desk. It is a piece from the series “Home and Home – New York in My Life (2006–2015)”. I take photographs that are themed after cultural identity, feminism, the special connection between mother and child, human anatomy, and the everyday life. After my pregnancy and childbirth, I tend to be more attentive to and create works that depict lives in their natural surroundings. Additionally, the intense energy coming from the small body of my child, the beauty of my child’s spontaneous movements, and the hilarity and humor of my child’s form gives me inspiration and creativity.

Profile

Satomi Shirai

Photographer. After graduating from Musashino Art University and working as freelance photographer, I relocated to New York in 2004 where I continued to work for 12 years. I completed the International Center for Photography School FT program and obtained a Master’s in Fine Arts (MFA) from Hunter College of the City of New York. I entered exhibitions and galleries within and outside the country, such as the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. I am the on-site manager for a multi-purpose site for AIR, Print Lab, and exhibitions. I am hosting exhibitions at this same site until the end of April.

Jury selection

In the series Pregnancy, Satomi SHIRAI highlights the chaos and uncertainty of life, from its gestational stage to infancy and early childhood. Her ability to capture the kinetic energy that defines her own life distinguishes her style in a fresh, clear way.