REFLECTION [back]

ENCHANTED GARDEN (1980)

TURNING POINT

Yasuji Tojo, an RIT Photography Student from Japan, was killed in an auto accident in 1964. In 1975 was created in his honor the Tojo Memorial Garden. This Japanese Garden is intended as a "living memorial to eternal youth."

In 1980 without being fully aware of the meaning of this garden I choose this place for a weekly rendezvous of a self assigned night photography project. For a period of three months between January and March, winter, late winter and early spring, I photograph the rebirth of nature. This project concretized in three parts. First b&w silver print photos; In the second part I worked in a more abstract way overprinting and working with ferricyanide and finally selenium toning the prints; When the beautiful spring rebirth of nature showed the first signs and the days started to be longer, I photographed long exposures and printed in color.

This project was for me a turning point in my photography and craftsmanship. It developed in this short period of time organically, and also I grew with it. This magic place in those cold winter nights was deserted and I privately felt I owned it. In a sort of way it casted a spell on me. So I named this project the Enchanted Garden. 29 years later I feel happy when I look to the images in this gallery and I feel that they reflect the "motto" of this garden.

Júlio de Matos
January, 5th 2009