Shizenkan by Emily Shur

Issue 13

Shizenkan is a Japanese word that translates to “one’s own perspective on nature”.

I have continued to photograph in Japan since my first visit in 2004 because I have never enjoyed the act of taking pictures anywhere else more. Photographing there has been peaceful, challenging, and exciting. I’ve allowed myself to make the pictures I truly want to make and to respect my own process. My photographs are illustrative of what I find beautiful, interesting, and calming about Japan. My intention is to preserve that state of mind within myself through these photographs.

Over time, I’ve become interested in vegetation and the natural world as symbols of morality in Japanese culture. I identify deeply with the level of respect that nature commands there, as well as the mesmerizing attention to detail prevalent within Japanese life. This honoring of nature is indicative of a certain way of thinking; a collective consciousness that goes beyond simply caring for plants and animals. It is a way of life in Japan, and the way I want to live.

Emily Shur is a Los Angeles, CA based artist.
To view more of Emily's work, please visit her website.

Read Larissa Leclair's interview with Emily here.