The still tasteful childhood icon that is Thomas the Tank Engine is gradually filtering back into our consciousness all over again (thanks to the onslaught of children) and what strikes us this time round is the artful and painstakingly crafted model scenery. And it’s for much the same reasons that we’ve fallen in love with Paul Smith's latest discovery, Naoki Honjo.
Click on the image above to see more of Honjo's work.
On first glance Honjo’s work appears to be miniaturised landscape models of familiar urban scenes, but on closer inspection one realises they’re in fact photographs of real street scenes. The celebrated Japanese photographer, based in Tokyo, plays with the focus, colour intensity and lighting of his shots to make urban life appear refreshingly parochial and model-like. The overall effect is bizarrely familiar yet distant too, compounded by the birds-eye perspective, true to the scale of an adult peering down over a model city.
‘Small Planet’, Honjo’s current exhibition at Paul Smith’s 9 Albemarle Street store, sees familiar sites around London get the miniaturised treatment. If only urban living was so calm, sunny and bright in reality. Click here to see some of Honjo's work from his 'Small Planet' exhibition and from previous shows in Japan.
INFORMATION
The exhibition ‘Small Planet’ by Naoki Honjo is at Paul Smith, London, from 28th September – 12th October 2007 and will travel to Paul Smith ‘Space’ in Japan in October 2007.
- Website
- http://www.paulsmith.co.uk
- Telephone
- 44.20 7495 4708
- Address
- Paul Smith
9 Albemarle Street
London W1
