hakanai-sonzai-4

All the faces of Japan showcased at the Château d’Eau

undefined undefined 6 juillet 2026 undefined 15h00

The Editor

© Pierre-Elie de Pibrac Hakanai Sonzai #4, 2019-20

Until August 30th, the Château d'Eau gallery invites you to dive into the striking and poetic work of photographer Pierre-Elie de Pibrac. It’s a true journey to the Land of the Rising Sun, allowing you to explore the intimate Japan without even leaving Toulouse. Join us in discovering this exhibition that is as captivating as it is enchanting.

Between 2019 and 2020, Pierre-Elie de Pibrac, along with his wife and children, traveled through Japan for eight months. Using his large format camera, he captured the faces of people with unique destinies, as well as the mystical and wild landscapes of the country. Through these two series combined within the gallery, he offers us a deeply human view of this island with a rich cultural heritage.


A Thousand and One Faces

During his journey, the photographer sought to immortalize singular individuals, people on the fringes of society, often carried by extraordinary destinies. Yakuzas, survivors of Fukushima, hikikomori — individuals living cut off from the world and others — or "the evaporated" — the term for those who voluntarily disappear — the profiles flow one after another on immense color prints, immersing us in the history...

The unique fire of these strangers.


© Pierre-Elie de Pibrac Hakanai Sonzai #24, 2019-20

Gathered under the name Hakanai Sonzai (“I feel like an ephemeral creature”), these snapshots celebrate the impermanence that permeates Japanese culture, expressing the fleeting nature of time and its elusive character. This theme is amplified by the use of a view camera, a technique dating back to the early days of photography, involving long exposure times that help create a connection with the subject.


A Thousand and One Landscapes

Alongside these colorful faces, the gallery intertwines the series Mono no Aware, also by Pierre-Elie de Pibrac, which this time features black and white landscapes and still lifes. These images stand in contrast to the humanity in all its splendor that radiates from the

first series, we present a nature deserted of any human presence. These more modest formats, devoid of colors, immerse us in the eternal and magnificent Japan, not without evoking the tradition of Ukiyoe, the subtle art of ink and woodblock prints. A subtle dialogue unfolds between timeless nature and fleeing humanity, offering a fresh and fascinating perspective on the world.


© Pierre-Elie de Pibrac Mono no Aware #4, 2019-20

Hakanai Sonzai
Le Château d’Eau
1, place Laganne
Until August 30th
More info