The first artistic duo between Japanese photographer Ryo Ohwada and French artist Olivier Jung, this exhibition plunges us into the fascinating world of wine, a subject that has enticed people for centuries, incarnated by Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and festivities.

Born in 1978 in Sendai, Ryo Ohwada studied photography and art at Tokyo Polytechnic University. He has won numerous photography awards, including the Photographic Society of Japan New Talent Award in 2010 and the Musée de l'Elysée of Lausanne 50 Photographers of Tomorrow Award in 2005. He has participated in several solo and and group exhibitions in Tokyo and throughout Japan. His work has also been exhibited in France, Switzerland and Belgium.

Taking a very unique path, Ryo Ohwada strives to record what he sees and feels. His red wine series, through its approach to colour and light, parallels the order of discovery : sight, aroma and taste. His discussions and experiences with wine collectors sparked a true passion for the artist in this domain. Using his observant and insightful eye, Ryo Ohwada captures the refined elegance and enchanting beauty of leading wines with great precision, as well as their exact colour hues, from pale raspberry to deep crimson.

Born in 1957 in Paris, Olivier Jung teaches visual art in Montrouge. Very early on, he developed his own artistic expression in the field of drawing and began to show his work at the beginning of the 1990s. Since 1992, he has participated in multiple solo and group exhibitions in Paris, Lille, Strasbourg, Brussels and Stockholm. He also engages in artistic collaborations with choreographers, musicians, publishers and, most recently, photographers.

Olivier Jung's approach to drawing is close to calligraphy in its elaboration and its use of the brush. It is a continuous fluctuation between controlling the stroke and completely letting go on repeated subjects. The drawing is neither fixed nor closed, evoking perpetual movement. The personalities born from this energy have a theatrical aspect to them, often hinting at a posture of surprise when faced with reality. Selected drawings reflect the philosophy, emotion and celebration associated with wine.

During this autumn season so fundamental to vineyards, each of the two artists expresses his connection to wine in a very personal way while simultaneously creating a playful dialogue with each other and with the viewer. 

Seiji Komatsu, Director, Emon Photo Gallery / Caroline Trausch, Exhibition Curator