Ken Ohara’s With project, created in 1998, explores the fluid nature of identity, the passage of time, and the evolving boundaries of representation. The project consists of 123 portraits of local residents near Ohara’s studio, each subjected to a 60-minute exposure. This deliberate distortion of facial features through movement results in an ethereal blur, stripping the subjects of defining facial characteristics.
The project follows Ohara’s earlier works, particularly One, which examined identity and human universality through extreme close-up portraits that removed distinguishing features, emphasizing both individuality and shared traits. Building upon this, With deconstructs identity by allowing time to dissolve facial features, presenting a more abstract and philosophical engagement with the concept of presence. Ohara’s use of hour-long exposures stands in direct opposition to the instantaneous capture associated with conventional portrait photography, aligning With with broader conceptual and postmodern artistic movements that challenge traditional representation.
Visually, With is defined by softly diffused lighting and loosely framed compositions in black-and-white, creating an atmospheric and introspective quality. The interplay between blurred faces and sharply defined backgrounds creates a paradox, where the tangible elements around the subject gain significance in the absence of clear facial detail.
Technically, Ohara’s use of a 4x5 camera with dense filters facilitated these extended exposures, requiring subjects to remain still for the full duration of an hour. The resulting images document not just the person but also the time spent in their presence, transforming the portrait into a shared experience between photographer and subject. This approach presents identity as fluid and ephemeral, shaped by the continuous passage of time, marking a contribution to both performance art and photography.
First published by Twin Palms (2006), With has been exhibited in a solo at Stephen Cohen Gallery, Los Angeles (2006), featured in retrospectives such as Museum Folkwang, Essen, and shown in survey exhibitions at Miyako Yoshinaga, New York (2017; 2023).
