Exhibition ended on August 27, 2008 (Wed).

The "PHOTO IS" Gallery, located on the first floor of FUJIFILM SQUARE, is pleased to announce "The Secret World of Insects and Plants -- A Photo Exhibition by Satoshi Kuribayashi" from August 1 to August 27, 2008.

Satoshi Kuribayashi lives in Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture and is a photographer who specializes in shots of insect life. Through his own innovations and enhancements, Kuribayashi uses specially adapted cameras and lenses to take photos of an "ant's-eye" view of the world, and depict the hive of activity that takes place at ground level with photos of a diverse variety of insect and plant life. In October 2006, his achievements were recognized when he was presented with the Lennart Nilsson Award, often referred to as the Nobel Prize for scientific photography, and in April this year, Kuribayashi became the recipient of the Japanese Shijohosho Medal, awarded for inventions and innovations in the fields of art and science.

All photos on display at the exhibition were taken with "insect eye" lenses, or high definition macro lenses, developed by Kuribayashi, and provide close up shots that amply portray the great vigor with which insects go about their daily business, and the natural world that surrounds them. In addition, Kuribayashi has developed automatic photographic equipment that allows viewers to experience the great speed of movement of insects and plants -- an experience imperceptible with the human eye. His photos enable viewers of all ages to lose themselves and experience the natural world from a completely different perspective.

We hope that visitors to the exhibition will come and experience the world as never before seen, and made possible with the special cameras developed by Satoshi Kuribayashi. We are confident that "The Secret World of Insects and Plants" will not fail to leave a lasting impression on all lovers of the natural world.

Satoshi Kuribayashi will also be giving a talk show on his photographic works on August 2 at FUJIFILM SQUARE. For details, please see the FUJIFILM SQUARE website.

Satoshi Kuribayashi Satoshi Kuribayashi was born in Shenyang, China in 1939. In 1969, he became a freelance photographer specializing in shots of insect life and bioecology, and in 1977 went to live in present-day Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture. He invented a range of groundbreaking photographic systems including development of the strobe, and embarked on a new type of expression in bioecological photography. He is has also turned his hand to innovations for video cameras and has taken many powerful videos of his chosen subjects. He has traveled around Japan and the world in search of new subjects for his photographs, but his favorite photographic location remains his home in Nagasaki Prefecture. Kuribayashi has also published a number of books, multimedia productions and held photo exhibitions aimed primarily at children. He joined the Photographic Society of Japan in 2002, and in 2006 received the prestigious Lennart Nilsson Award. In April 2008, his achievements in the fields of art and science were recognized with the awarding of the Japanese Shijohosho Medal.