WERNER BISCHOF
LONGING FOR TRADITION AND BEAUTY
Japan 1951/1952
with Akari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi
Exhibition 08/06/2024 - 30/08/2024
Introduction
Werner Bischof, born in Zurich in 1916, traveled to Korea in 1951 on behalf of ‚MAGNUM‘ for a report on the proxy war between China and the USA. His journey to Korea took him through pacified Japan, where he was fascinated by the country’s traditions and beauty.
Isamu Noguchi, who was born in the USA in 1904, was already familiar with Japanese culture at this time through his Japanese father, the poet Yone Noguchi. In 1951, he experienced a night of cormorant fishing - a traditional festival along the Nagara River near Gifu, which was illuminated by paper lanterns. It served to strengthen his bond with Japan and enrich his artistic work for the rest of his life.
Werner Bischof, 1916 – 1954
wrote to his wife Rosellina, October 7, 1951:
«Yesterday, a glorious autumn day, I took a taxi to the emperor‘s old country seat. On the way I found the silk washers... washing long streamers of colored silk in the river and hanging them to dry on tall bamboo poles. Can you imagine what a wonderful sight that is? All the colored streamers swelling and swishing in the wind, wondrous... Naturally I couldn‘t just drive past, and spent an hour there.»
Werner Bischof was increasingly reluctant to work as a war reporter, which he found too superficial and provocative. To Emil Schulthess from the magazine ‚Du‘:
«I was in Korea, but the human tragedy of the Korean people shocked me so much that I soon went back to Japan.
Nevertheless, I produced a very concentrated work of the evacuation of a village in the dense jungle north of the 38th parallel. ‚Life‘ was thrilled, but they already had enough pictures like that, as the place is teeming with ‚battlefield hyenas‘ (war reporters). Most only see what might shock the world press, they forget that human souls still exist without uniforms... This military story makes me sick to my stomach, and I‘m going to tell ‚MAGNUM‘ for good not to do any more of this sort of thing.»
Instead, he decided to accept a direct assignment from ‚Life‘ magazine, which suited his personal inclination to delve deeper into the country‘s stories. He extended his stay in Japan by almost a year, focusing on traditional Japanese culture, the beauty of nature and the arrival of modernity.
«The trees are exquisite in Japan. You know the poems that tell of the wind blowing through the trees and the leaves. In the center of the capital with its ever increasing bustle, I have discovered some tree shapes of breathtaking beauty and have drawn them for you. I cannot believe that these people will ever stop venerating nature, that a time will come when they no longer shelter trees and flowers in their houses as symbols of what is noble and pure...»
In 1953, the special issue ‚People of the Far East‘ of the magazine ‚Du‘ was published. In addition, an exhibition is held in Zurich and a book entitled ‚Japan‘ was published the following year.
Isamu Noguchi, 1904 – 1988
Akari Light Sculptures
The ‚chochin‘ are lanterns that are traditionally handmade from a fine weave of bamboo rods and high-quality paper made from mulberry bark. On the night of the Komoran fishing trip, the mayor of Gifu asked Isamu Noguchi to help restore the lantern industry in Gifu, which had been devastated by the war and the production of cheap copies. From that point onwards, Isamu Noguchi and Ozeki, which was founded in 1891, would have a fruitful, lifelong relationship. Isamu Noguchi regarded the lanterns as sculptures and used the Japanese word ‚Akari‘ for them, which means ‚light‘ and is associated with both enlightenment and weightlessness. Noguchi presented ‚Akari‘ in 1952 at a major exhibition of his latest ceramics and sculptures at the Museum of Modern Art Kamakura and later in 1954 in a gallery of the literary magazine ‚Chuo Koron‘. Over the decades, he created more than 100 models.
SNOW SCENE
Courtyard of the Meiji Shrine (明治神宮), Tokyo, 1952
stamped and signed by Marco Bischof on verso
THREE SHINTO-PRIESTS
Meiji Shrine (明治神宮), Tokyo, 1952
SILVER PAVILION
Kyoto, 1951
LOTUS LEAVES
Kyoto, 1951
SILK DRYING
Kyoto, 1951
WERNER BISCHOF
1916 – 1954, Schweiz
photographed by Ernst Haas
1916 Werner Bischof is born on 26 April in Zurich (Switzerland), where his father runs a factory for pharmaceutical products. He later settles in Waldshut (Germany). Werner has a sister who is one year older. His mother dies in 1931.
1932 Enrols at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts and attends Hans Finsler's newly created photography courses. Under the influence of these lessons, he realised numerous photographs of plants and shells.
1936 After graduating and completing recruit school, he opened a studio in Zurich for photography and graphics in Zurich.
1938 Employed by the publishing house ‘Amstutz & Herdeg’. (photo posters, fashion photography)
1939 Collaboration on the Swiss National Exhibition in Zurich.
1940-1945 Served 800 days of active service in the Swiss Army.
1942 First publication of photographic studies on light in the magazine ‘Du’, founded by Arnold Kübler. Regular contributor. Member of the artists' group “Allianz”. Residence and studio in Zurich-Leimbach.
1944/1945 First reports on the subject: ‘The disabled person’ and on ‘Refugees’ in Ticino.
1945 Travelling to southern Germany by bike. A major reportage tour through the war-ravaged countries of France, Germany and Holland. (‘Du’ special issue, May 1946)
1946-1948 In Bonn, Cologne, Hamburg, Hanover, Berlin, Leibzig, Dresden.
Worked for the aid organisation ‘Schweizer Spende’ in Austria, Italy, Greece, later across Eastern Europe (Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Poland), then in Finland and Norway. (‘Du’ special issue, June 1949)
1949 Marriage to Rosellina Mandel, whom he met in Italy (1946).
Works in England for ‘Picture Post’, ‘Illustrated’ and ‘Observer’. Becomes a member of the photographer's co-operative ‘MAGNUM’.
1950 Birth of son Marco.
1951-1952 To India for ‘MAGNUM’. The report ‘Hunger in India’ published in ‘Life’ makes him famous. For ‘MAGNUM’ to South Korea, Okinawa and Japan.
1952 On assignment for ‘Life’ in Tokyo. The country is a great experience for him and Rosellina, as his book ‘Japan’ (published in 1954) shows. Then travelling by ship to Hong Kong. As a war correspondent for ‘Paris Match’ during the Indochina War. Strong doubts about photojournalism. At Christmas 1952, he returns to Switzerland via South India.
1953 ‘Du’ special issue about ‘People in the Far East’ and exhibition on this subject in Zurich. Embarked for New York in September; commissioned work to finance a major trip to South America.
1954 To Mexico with Rosellina in spring. For ‘MAGNUM’ and ‘Life’ on a reporting trip via Panama to Santiago de Chile and Lima. Visit to Cuzco and the Inca city of Machu Picchu. Return to Lima, from where he accompanies a geologist on an inspection trip to Amazonia. On 16 May, the car crashes into a gorge in the Andes. Nine days after this accident, in which Werner Bischof died, his second son Daniel was born.
