eitoeiko is pleased to announce the solo exhibition Wish You Were Here by Masaru Aikawa(b.1978, Lima, Peru). Since Aikawa has been presented his artwork CDs, a lot of articles introduced his unique pieces and CDs has shown museums and galleries in Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and the United States. At the point of view of the reproduction in art, Aikawa approaches his works with music and films. He continues to advance his project and makes VIDEOs and in the format of DVD works. At the same time, he attempts to catch a media (that it may be called as a new media) from another point of view.

About Wish You Were Here
Two computers connected via Skype. Sitting in front of one computer is the artist's subject. Sitting in front of the other computer is the artist himself with his handmade pinhole camera (constructed by himself).
With his camera connected to the monitor on the computer, the artist is ready to photograph his subjects who are located almost anywhere in the world. Through various network systems and social networks such as Skype and Facebook, Masaru Aikawa is able to venture into each of his subject's private space and capture their image.
Lit only by the light from the digital channel that connects the world, his subjects strike a pose and remain still for 30 seconds. This is the exposure time needed to capture their image. Using out-of-date technology (analog pinhole camera) within the state-of-the art one (digital web camera), old and new intersects through time.
Masaru Aikawa's idea for this work began to take shape after the Tohoku earthquake on March 11, 2011. It was at this time that the only means of communication available to many people in this disaster stricken region, were social networking tools such as Facebook. In vast amount of information flowing through the Internet, frail and precious communication that once surely exited is kept as a record through this photographic imagery.
The other project on this system is called the Postcards. Masaru Aikawa produced the Postcards by using a live camera situated across sightseeing spots around the world. When the right moment presents itself on the monitor, he captures the image with a pinhole camera that is attached directly over the web-cam. The people who appreciate the Postcards, the scenery which separated distantly and can be photographed only at the spot, are fulfilled of their curiosity.
Within this system he has created, photography is taken and exhibited simultaneously and diametrically; an intimate photograph of a friend or acquaintance, the other - landscape photography which can be viewed publicly over the Internet.
His work demonstrates the properties and the social problems of the both, the Internet and photography.

*image (left)
© Masaru Aikawa
courtesy of eitoeiko