Mystic Maine - A Photographic Art Exhibit in Rockland by Yohaku Yorozuya uses Maine sea water

Rockland, ME - Mystic Maine, a photographic art exhibit in Rockland uses sea water during the darkroom process that was collected from Rockland’s Sandy Beach by the artist/professor Yohaku Yorozuya.

Gallery Fukurou is honored to host an exhibit by Yohaku Yorozuya from September 11 to September 28 – 11:00 am — 5:00 pm, Wed., Thurs, Friday, & Saturday. The gallery is located at 20 Main Street in Rockland, near the restaurant Primo.

Most of the photographs on exhibit have been developed with sea water from Rockland’s Sandy Beach, which he collected last year.

“It’s important for me to convey the sense of place where I have taken the photographs. That’s why I have used local sea water to develop the images,” said Yohaku Yorozuya. “I taught darkroom and photography techniques for over forty years. I believe it is important to keep the art of the physical darkroom techniques alive for future generations.”

The show entitled Mystic Maine showcases Yohaku’s expertise in darkroom classic techniques.

Yohaku’s work using historic techniques captivates with wonder. Some prints use Fox Talbot’s original patented negative photographic process. Others are toned, cyanotype prints, and silver gelatin prints.

Talbot published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in a book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot was the first to create a negative image on paper from which multiple positive images could be printed.

A cyanotype is a monochrome print or image made by placing objects on a pre-prepared light-sensitive surface. As cyanotypes are created without a camera, the prints or images they create are correctly called photograms.

Yohaku, known also as Takafumi Suzuki, visits Rockland yearly. His lifetime passion for photography led him to become an emanate Japanese photographic fine artist heading up the photographic department at Nihon University in Tokyo. He is renowned for his use of classic darkroom techniques, spending days perfecting his images.

Gallery Fukurou means owl in Japanese as well as prosperity and health. The owl in Ancient Greece often is associated with Athena, the goddess of arts and wisdom. The gallery borders Owl’s Head, two doors down from Primo.

Fukurou represents Maine artists, and fosters cross-cultural connections with Japanese artists and others. We host exhibits, book signings, have lectures, workshops and other events. Our books have themes of long-term intrinsic value and are published through our Solon Center publishing arm, Polar Bear & Company.

The Solon Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit Maine Public Benefit Corporation that helps build community in Maine and beyond through educational, literary, scientific and artistic means, with publications, research, exhibits, events and other initiatives. We work to help the humanities flourish.

The Solon Center for Research and Publishing is also a platform where people from diverse disciplines can examine issues of cultural and environmental importance, while developing connections.

Democracy flourishes when creativity is allowed freedom of expression.