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Japan recognizes Hisao Suzuki as a cultural bridge with Catalonia
The Japanese Government distinguishes the architectural photographer, resident in the country for decades, for his international legacy and an archive guarded by the RCR Bunka Foundation, after also receiving the Creu de Sant Jordi in 2022.
The Government of Japan has distinguished photographer Hisao Suzuki for his exceptional career and for his sustained work of cultural dialogue between his country of origin and Catalonia. Resident in Catalonia for decades, Suzuki has established himself as a key figure in contemporary architectural photography, with a body of work that has contributed decisively to projecting Catalan architectural talent internationally.
The institutional recognition ceremony was held at the Consulate General of Japan in Barcelona and was presided over by Akiko Shikata, Consul General of Japan in Barcelona. The solemn and emotional event brought together representatives from the cultural and institutional world, and was attended by Mona Tellier, the photographer's wife, who has accompanied Suzuki throughout his life and professional career.
The recognition from the Japanese Government highlights not only the formal excellence of his work, but also his ability to build bridges between two cultures with similar aesthetic sensibilities, but rooted in different traditions. Suzuki's precise and restrained gaze has been able to capture the poetic dimension of architectural space, turning light, matter and silence into the protagonists of his images.
A fundamental part of his legacy is the prestigious archive of architectural photography that over the years has been shaping, visual testimony of major projects and authors of contemporary architecture. This collection is currently guarded by the RCR Bunka Foundation, linked to the Olot architects of RCR Arquitectes, with whom Suzuki has maintained a close professional and creative relationship. The preservation of this archive not only guarantees the conservation of a visual heritage of great value, but also strengthens the cultural ties between Japan and Catalonia through architecture.
This is not the first institutional recognition that the photographer has received. In 2022 he was awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi by the Generalitat de Catalunya, one of the country's highest distinctions, in recognition of his career and his contribution to Catalan culture. This double endorsement, Catalan and Japanese, confirms the international dimension of a career marked by rigor, sensitivity and commitment to the dissemination of architecture as a cultural expression.
