ABOUT THE ARTIST
AERONAUTICA marks a focused chapter within Jiro Shimizu's practice, developed entirely in and with Mallorca. The series is rooted in physical presence: real locations, real participants, constructed vessels, and scenes realised entirely in-camera. The intention is not to fabricate illusion but to extend reality slightly beyond its expected boundaries.
Mallorca is not used as backdrop. The island's landscapes, maritime traditions, architecture, and communities shape the project materially and conceptually. The work emerges from collaboration with local participants and craftspeople, grounding the images in lived environment.
Through this project, Shimizu refines his constructed methodology toward a quieter register. Human presence stands at the center. The vessels function as carriers, not protagonists. The work asks how aspiration, belonging, and return coexist within a specific place.
Experience at Scale
The development of AERONAUTICA draws directly on a working method established across previous large-scale productions:
THE AFRICAN QUEST
Full set construction on location in open savanna environments. Steam engine, zebras, hyena, costume, single-day production window. Images exhibited at architectural dimensions.
SOPHIE'S CASTLE
Staged scene inside a baroque vault. Period costume, live animals, snow on floor, controlled lighting in historic structure. Complex coordination across multiple production elements.
CAST AWAY
Extended location work across varied environments, combining natural landscapes with constructed interventions.
Recognition
Tokyo International Art Fair Award
selected by an international jury from a competitive field of contemporary artists.
Foto Magazin
Work featured as a **double-page spread under *Masterpieces* designation** — the German publication's highest editorial recognition for photographic work.
Eurovision Song Contest
Designed and produced the complete visual scenery for the **French finalist's live performance**, broadcast to an audience of hundreds of millions.
