ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) opened ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE in the CI Plaza, a commercial facility situated next to ITOCHU’s Tokyo Head Office, in October 2012. The gallery was part of ITOCHU’s social contribution activities, with the aim of developing the future generation through art, contributing to the local community, and promoting both local and international art and culture. Various exhibitions have since been held in the space.

An exhibition entitled “Art wa shinsai wo fuka sasenai [Art does not let the disaster be forgotten]. Photo Exhibition by Magdalena Sole – Since That Day” will be held at ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE.
Magdalene Sole is a photographer living in New York and a joint recipient of an Academy Award. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake disaster she began visiting the stricken area, since which time she has been engaged in ongoing activities to comfort people living in the affected areas through photography, such as providing guidance in photography techniques. The collection of photographs taken at the sites was shown in New York, continuing to convey to the rest of the world the situation in the area struck by the disaster. This latest exhibition will display photographs taken by Magdalena Sole in Iwate, Fukushima, and Miyagi, in an effort to support the rapid recovery of the disaster-affected region. Though almost five years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the disaster area still faces many challenges, which will continue to need support in the long term. We hope that the artist’s works will provide a fresh perspective on the memories of Tohoku that should never be forgotten.

The ITOCHU Group prays for the speedy recovery of the areas affected by the disaster and is committed to providing ongoing support to these affected areas over the long term.

“Art wa shinsai wo fuka sasenai [Art does not let the disaster be forgotten]. Magdalena Sole, Shinpei Nagatomo Talk Show”

Magdalena Sole and illustrator Shinpei Nagatomo, two artists who have been visiting the affected areas themselves since the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, have grown close to the affected children through the power of art, and have continued to update the rest of the world about the affected areas, will be invited to talk about a new form of support for reconstruction through art.

Social documentary photographer living in New York.
In 2008, won an Academy Award for best feature documentary for the movie “Man on Wire,” and in 2013 was the first photographer to win the Tree of Life Award, presented to individuals who have made an exceptional social contribution in the United States. Visited Japan in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake disaster to photograph the coastline affected by the tsunami, presenting her collection “Japan – After the Water Receded” in New York. Holds workshops for students in the disaster-stricken areas, as well as providing technical guidance to high school photography club teachers in Iwate Prefecture.