The is an exhibition series organized by cizucu and held worldwide. By simply submitting your photographs to cizucu, you can participate in the photo poster project exhibition and connect with fellow photographers you have yet to meet.
This time, we spoke with the creator Tsubo, who participated in the .
Please introduce yourself!
Nice to meet you, my name is Tsubo.
Since my student days, my dream has always been to "take photographs for life!" and I have worked in photography-related jobs ever since my high school part-time days.
I've tried working in apparel and food service, but in the end, I always find myself back in the world of photography.
If I could no longer take photographs, I truly believe I wouldn't be myself anymore—photography is absolutely essential to my life.
What inspired you to participate?
Last year, I held my very first solo exhibition, and just as it ended, the camera I'd cherished for 13 years broke. I was left feeling burnt out and heartbroken, unable to take any photographs. It was then that a member of the cizucu team invited me to join the .
I felt it was about time to start shooting again, and although I rarely have the chance to visit Sapporo, I happened to have plans there on the day of the exhibition. I thought, "Maybe this is fate," and decided to participate.
How was your experience participating?
I was so nervous, and the gallery door was so stylish that I couldn't open it properly, but a staff member kindly opened it for me and welcomed me in, which put me at ease.
When it came time to present my work, my lips trembled, I couldn't find the right words, and my heart felt like it would leap out of my chest...
Even so, everyone listened and looked at me attentively, so I did my best to meet their gaze and convey my thoughts as honestly as I could.
After sharing the stories and emotions behind the artworks, walking around the exhibition space and viewing the works again felt completely different from my first impression—it was a mysterious sensation.
I spent the entire time talking with everyone, and experienced a different kind of excitement from my initial nerves. It was as if I was floating, my feet not touching the ground... It’s hard to describe, but I was filled with warmth, and before I knew it, those blissful moments had come to an end.
Why did you choose that particular photograph?
The theme for this exhibition was ‘2025’.
The title is "Nijuku".
This work represents myself at the end of my twenties.
The anxiety and impatience of not quite becoming the adult I envisioned, the growing pressure of responsibilities that come with age, and days that refuse to pass as I wish.
I spent the year embracing these emotions, holding them close so they wouldn’t pierce right through me, and somehow managed to endure.
I chose this work as a declaration of intent—to transform these feelings into the driving force for my life moving forward.
To those considering participating in the photo poster project
Printing your photograph in A2 size, exhibiting it, and presenting about your work—at first glance, the may seem to go against the times.
But precisely because we are entering the age of AI, there is meaning in having humans communicate about works created by humans, in their own words.
This is what the staff member said at the beginning (apologies if I misunderstood...), and hearing those words made me think, "Wow... I’m so glad I came here."
I decided to join on a whim, thinking "maybe it’s fate," and ended up having such a meaningful time. If you’re even a little curious, I encourage you to join on a whim as well!
