Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) donated a contemporary photograph collection of the works of Japanese photographers active in the post-war period over 11 occasions between 1994 and 2006 to the Paris-based Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP). The donated collection marked the first example of the 540 pieces by 21 Japanese photographers. This time MEP has selected 350 works from the collection, which will be displayed in a large scale exhibition to be held from June 28 until August 27, 2017. This event also marks the first time since 1980’s that works from Japanese representative photographers from the period corresponding to 1945 - 2000 will be presented in Paris in such a collective format.

"MÉMOIRE ET LUMIÈRE"POSTER

DNP Donation to MEP

The key factor behind the donation to MEP was two exhibitions sponsored by DNP, and held during the Paris Month of Photography in 1990. The first was entitled“ Japanese Photography of the Interwar Period”, and the second, “Japanese Ad Photography”. At that stage, MEP was still preparing to open, but a request was made to DNP for support in establishing a Japanese contemporary photograph collection, and as part of its activities as a corporate patron of the arts and culture, the Company made ongoing donations over a 13 year period from 1994. The donated works have been stored at MEP as the DNP Collection, and there is, presently, no other cultural organization in France that stores such an extensive collection of works by contemporary Japanese photographers.
The collection donated by DNP is valued by MEP as one of the most important in Europe, based on the firm reputation attributed to each photo creator over the approximately 20 year period since the initial donation was made, and that these works have been selected as an important photograph series. “ARAKI”, the major retrospective exhibition of the works of Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki that created a sensation when exhibited at the Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet in 2016, included early renowned works that form part of the DNP Collection, and which were loaned to Guimet by MEP.
The Collection is getting increasingly expected to play a role of responding to globally rising attention to Japanese contemporary photography in recent years, as part of the activities of MEP which is an important organ in the European photography world.
The Collection is comprised of 540 works created by the following 21 photographers:
Nobuyoshi Araki, Masahisa Fukase, Seiichi Furuya, Naoya Hatakeyama, Hiro, Eikoh Hosoe, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Miyako Ishiuchi, Ihei Kimura, Taiji Matsue, Ryuji Miyamoto, Yasumasa Morimura, Daido Moriyama, Ikko Narahara, Toshio Shibata, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Keiichi Tahara, Hiromi Tsuchida, Shomei Tomatsu, Shoji Ueda et Hiroshi Yamazaki

Exhibition

Title:  MÉMOIRE ET LUMIÈRE
PHOTOGRAPHIE JAPONAISE, 1950-2000
LA DONATION DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.
Exhibition Period: June 28 - August 27, 2017
Organizer: Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP)
Sponsor: Embassy of Japan in France
Examples of exhibited works: 

Eikoh Hosoe, Man and woman #20, 1960 © Eikoh Hosoe. Collection MEP, Paris. Don de la société Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd./ Nobuyoshi Araki, Voyage sentimental, 1971 © Nobuyoshi Araki. Collection MEP, Paris. Don de la société Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. / Ryuji Miyamoto Kobe, après le tremblement de terre, 1995 © Ryuji Miyamoto. Collection MEP, Paris. Don de la société Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.    

DNP Cultural Activities in France

Since being founded as a company in 1876, in addition to the development of society and culture through its business activities, DNP has also promoted a variety of activities both in Japan and overseas as a corporate patron of the arts and culture under the motto of maintaining an ongoing engagement with genres close to our core business.
Our cultural activities in France, beginning with this donation to MEP, are among the most important DNP cultural activities outside of Japan. In 2006, the Company launched the Louvre – DNP Museum Lab, designed to boost museum functions from the technological standpoint, and provide a means of arts appreciation that allows all people to relate to culture and the arts. Apart from the Louvre, this technology has been used in collaborations with the Sèvres Cité de la Céramique, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. In 1997, DNP President, Yoshitoshi Kitajima was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Paris in recognition of the Company’s efforts, beginning with the project to donate works of art to MEP.

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