In the Awareness Chasm is the portrait project by Shin Noguchi, a Japanese street photographer. Noguchi explores the boundaries between the individual and society, capturing those suspended moments when the subject is poised between their personal space and collective perception. In this “chasm of awareness,” the photographer captures the shift from interiority to exteriority, where the person portrayed appears still immersed in their intimate space, not yet visible as a social individual.
The project’s images, taken between 2011 and 2015 in iconic locations such as Ginza, Yurakucho, Minatomirai, and Kamakura, do not feature posed subjects or random “no-finder” shots. Noguchi seeks authenticity in expressions, capturing subjects in unrepeatable moments that go beyond candid photography and traditional portraiture. In the Awareness Chasm is, in fact, a form of “New Portrait” that transcends the boundaries of conventional street photography, revealing a pure and sincere beauty in the individual, which emerges only in the instant when the photographer’s lens unveils human fragility and strength.
Shin Noguchi describes his approach as «discreet, poetic, and enigmatic,» a perspective that allows him to explore the complexities and nuances of Japanese culture. His work reveals moments of extraordinary beauty and humanity in the flow of daily life, where individuals, even when immersed in a hectic society, retain their uniqueness and value. This approach has made him an international figure, with solo exhibitions in countries like Russia, France, and China in collaboration with Leica Camera, and articles in media outlets such as The Independent, The Guardian, and Liberation. He has also collaborated with brands like Hermès, Apple, and ZARA and is part of Leica Camera’s global campaign “M is M.”
Noguchi is the only Japanese photographer in the “UP” team, a collaboration with other renowned photographers such as Joel Meyerowitz and Richard Kalvar of Magnum Photos. With In the Awareness Chasm, Noguchi conveys his poetic and philosophical message, in which each shot represents an affirmation of human existence. As he himself states, «The subjects tell me the meaning and value of life. Taking a picture is to affirm the existence of people—their human nature and karma—and it is also an opportunity to accept my own existence as it is».
