Panoramic nominee

In Japan 600 years ago, a Zen monk named Sesshu pioneered the foundations of sumi-e, the traditional Japanese ink painting. Revered as a national treasure with six pieces classified as such in modern-day Japan, Sesshu's artistic legacy extends beyond ink onto the canvas of gardens.

His gardens harbor a potent concealed vector that guides the observer's gaze. By tracing this vector, each viewer's perception takes form. Entrusting the camera to capture the guided movement of sight, I endeavored to approach Sesshu's garden.

Observing the garden through multiple viewpoints rather than a single perspective, one encounters Sesshu's aspiration for diversity and coexistence. The essence of Sesshu's vision beckons, nurturing a deep connection with the garden's intricate tapestry.

Junichi Wajda is a Japanese photographer exploring the interplay between physical space and the unseen worlds it conceals. Beginning as a press photographer with Gamma Presse Images in the 1980s, I transitioned to art photography to delve beyond documentation. My work centers on the idea that seeking one crucial viewpoint often involves exploring many others. This theme drives projects like Book Shelf, where I reconstruct bookshelves into multi-perspective compositions, revealing layers of memory and imagination, and The Creation of Place: Gardens of Sesshū and Musō Soseki, where I layer images to transform historic gardens into spaces of belonging. Through these works, I illuminate hidden layers of connection and reflection.