Li Qirui, a third-year doctoral student in the Graduate Graduate School of Fine Arts, has received the "JPS Nonfiction Photography Award" from the Japan Professional Photographers Society (JPS).
The award-winning work, "The North Wind Shakes Memories," is a collection of 30 photographs created in Jiutai District, Changchun City, Jilin Province, in northeastern China. Using Jiutai, a place deeply connected to the memory of losing her grandmother in her childhood, as her setting, she photographed family members, their homes, old family photos, snowscapes, and changing streetscapes, capturing both family memories and the changing face of a rural society shaped by aging, youth exodus, and regional development. Through her photographs, she depicts the distance between what has been lost and what remains. As Li confronted relatives she hadn't seen in a long time and the changed landscape of her hometown, she repeatedly asked herself, "Why do I need to photograph this place and my family now?" and continued to create the work.
Upon receiving the award, Ms. Lee expressed her joy, saying, "I am deeply honored to have received this recognition. This award has given me a great opportunity to re-examine the creative work I have been pursuing. This work began with very personal family memories, but I am pleased that such a work has transcended my own memories and been able to convey something to the judges. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude once again to Professor Toshiya Momose, who gave me much guidance and advice regarding the creation of this work. Encouraged by this award, I would like to continue to deepen my photographic expression while carefully considering the connection between my own experiences and society."
[Graduate School of Fine Arts
