Mariko Kuwahara: Shopping Street

During an artist-in-residence in Beppu, Japan, Mariko Kuwahara became fascinated by an old shopping street, covered with an arcade, that had slowly fallen into decline. Over two months, she visited ten shops – from a camera store and bookstore to a former izakaya – speaking with shopkeepers about their memories and documenting their stories.
When it was announced that the arcade roof would soon be dismantled due to the risk of collapse, Kuwahara decided to buy an old analog camera from the 89-year-old owner of the camera shop, who had once led the shopping street association. With it, she began photographing the street, capturing both the shuttered storefronts and the few shops that remained.

Shopping Street is a portrait of the small shops and their shopkeepers in Beppu, a once bustling street that has come to an end after seventy years. During the presentation at San Serriffe, Kuwahara will introduce the book together with graphic designer Yuri Sato and share insights into the process behind the book and her experiences during the residency.