Back in the day, photos used to be produced in a darkroom, where a film negative would be enlarged to expose a sheet of paper. The paper would appear blank, until swished gently in a bath of developer fluid. Gradually, an image would emerge.
This way of processing might be the perfect metaphor to describe the life of Japanese-Canadian photographer George Nobechi. For 12 years, Nobechi worked in the world of finance, trading stocks and taking on stressful jobs that left his world looking blank. One day, he gave up the office, and plunged into a completely different bath, pursuing a career in photography. This is when his imagination really began to develop.
Nobechi, now 41, is by any measure a successful artist. Aside from numerous awards and solo exhibitions around the world, his work can be found in collections at the Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography and the University of Arizona’s Center for Creative Photography. This month, he is the subject of an exhibition titled “Eastern Light, Western Wind,” which runs till May 9 at the Tokyo American Club. While the club is not normally accessible to the public, Nobechi has arranged a reservation system to admit people to the gallery.