Japan remains a fascinating place to me. Its landscapes, its people, its history and culture are sources of excitment, thrill, happiness, surprises. Sufficient motivations to visit the current exhibit in Musée Guimet “An ephemeral portrait of Japan” before it is too late. Photographer Pierre-Elie de Pibrac has been several times to Japan. His project Hakanai Sonzai took eight months of research and patient approach to people. The result gives a gloomy portrait of Japan. People look sad and lonely, lost in their thoughts, in their most intimate self, questioning their own existential presence, unreachable. Is that the Japanese spirit we see or is it that after the photo was shot, the characters turn to the photographer in a big smile and laughter? The exhibition continues with a differnt series Mono no Aware depicting well carved black and white lansdcapes and natures mortes. Unsettled and improbable buildings and places, emptiness, with a certain nostalgy of a brighter past. This exhibit allows the viewer to dig deeper under the varnish and get an insight of the Japanese soul. Musée Guimet is full of wonders and serves well the cultural presence of Asia in Paris.
