Shikoku No Seijaku (Shikoku Silence)

Photographic Exhibition at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf, Sydney ‘Shikoku no Seijaku’ (Shikoku Silence) is showing at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf from 17 July - 11 August 2024.

Public exhibition opening Wednesday 17 July, 6-8pm.

Award-winning art director, trained architect and acclaimed photographer Damien Drew shines a light on the serene yet haunting landscapes of Japan’s Shikoku Island in his latest exhibition ‘Shikoku no Seijaku’ (Shikoku Silence).

Drew’s exhibition invites viewers on a visual journey through Shikoku, Japan’s least populous landmass, illuminating the drastic effects of Japan’s declining population and the migration of Japanese youth to larger cities. In some areas of the island, up to half of the residential buildings are deserted, elementary schools are abandoned and modern highways remain empty and largely unused. Drew’s evocative imagery captures the disappearance of these once vibrant and authentic communities whilst also finding moments of beauty in unexpected places and re-framing loss and decay as an invitation for reflection.

“Through ‘Shikoku no Seijaku’ I aim to capture the melancholic beauty that remains in the wake of the region’s pronounced social change. This series continues my exploration of the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of ‘wabi-sabi,’ which celebrates the transient beauty found in the impermanence of all things. Even though my images may depict the decline of these communities in part, I view my work as both a celebration and memorialisation of what remains”, said Damien Drew.

Drew’s photography has been published and exhibited globally. He was recognised as a finalist in Photolucida’s “Critical Mass” 2020 and LensCulture’s Black and White Awards 2022. He received recognition from the Urbanautica Institute of Visual Anthropology and he was ranked among Capture Magazine’s “Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers” in 2022 for the ‘Shikoku’ series.

An acclaimed art director for feature films, Drew’s credits include Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis' biopic and Sir Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien Covenant’. Drew holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree and his work bridges his dual passions for architecture and visual storytelling, both in his photographic projects and his contributions to the film industry. The exhibition will coincide with the publication of a limited-edition photobook containing 62 images from the broader photographic series.