cizucu hosts the photo poster project in cities around the world.
By simply choosing a city and date, creators can join a physical photo poster exhibition—and meet fellow creatives in real life.
In this issue, we spoke with kameleon, who participated in the photo poster project while traveling in Japan, about what it meant to exhibit across language barriers, how the experience connected them with other creators, and why showing work in a real space matters.
Could you introduce yourself?
Hello. My name is kameleon, and I am from Vienna, Austria.
I started taking photos about 30 years ago, when I received a used Canon camera from a friend. I was so fascinated by photography that I even began an apprenticeship to learn the craft.
Still, I felt that photography would always be something I wanted to keep as a personal joy rather than as a job.
Over the years, I have used many different cameras, but I do not limit myself to a specific style or subject. What I want to photograph changes depending on my mood and intuition at the time.
I love observing my surroundings. I find something special in discovering moments that will never come again, and preserving them as photographs.
Why did you decide to participate?
I love to travel, and over the past two years, my love for Japan has grown deeper.
When I came across the ppp page on Instagram, I immediately felt drawn to it because it seemed like a place where I could connect with people in Japan who shared the same interests. In Vienna, I have held several solo and group exhibitions, and I have also organized events that combine music and photography.
While it is possible to show my work on my own, I find greater joy in being part of a group where I can encounter many different opinions and perspectives.
Hearing what different people think, and seeing conversations emerge through photography — I was drawn to that open atmosphere, and that is why I decided to join ppp.
How was the experience?
It was a wonderful experience. I met so many warm people at the venue. I was the only participant from Europe, and of course there was a language barrier, but I never felt like an outsider.
The organizers were very professional, both in how the event was run and in the support they provided. Thanks to that, I was able to feel at ease in the space.
What stayed with me the most was the positive response to my work, and the genuine interest people showed toward the artists. To have people look at my work with such sincere curiosity became a great source of pride for me.
It also gave me strength to continue creating.
Why did you choose this photograph?
The photograph I chose opened a new door to an interest I had been carrying for a long time.
I have always been drawn to cranes, steel structures, construction sites, and similar subjects. But for a long time, I did not quite know how to present those motifs as my own work.
This photograph, which I took a few months ago, brought new possibilities to a project that had been quietly paused inside me. It felt as if a door had suddenly opened, setting a long-dormant theme into motion.
That is why choosing this photograph felt very natural. I think it was the moment when an interest I had carried in my heart for a long time finally began to take shape as an image.
A message to those considering joining photo poster project
In these challenging times, when there is so much pressure to conform and fit in, I think it is important to believe in yourself and follow your own path without compromise. At least in art, trying things even when you might fail is essential, because those are the experiences that help you grow.
At this exhibition, I saw that many participants may have come with similar worries or uncertainties.
Even so, the venue was filled with an open atmosphere where people accepted one another.
Each person has a different story. But what connects those stories is photography.
I think ppp is a special place for showing your work to someone else.
