Ants, human beings and myself: Works of Nakamura Tomomichi

Ants, human beings and myself: Works of Nakamura Tomomichi

Featured by TV documentary program Document 20 min. created by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), and it is titled “Ants, human beings and myself: Works of Nakamura Tomomichi“.

Meet the unconventional artist Tomomichi Nakamura, who synthesizes the forms of ants and humans to create unseen photographs and film works. This documentary follows his journey of continuing his artistic endeavors despite facing challenges in life. Ants, living in colonies, are small and vulnerable, recognizing allies and enemies through scent—similar to humans in many ways. Utilizing ants with human-like behaviors, Nakamura creates works that express aspects of himself and humanity. For instance, photos featuring tiny ants arranged in human forms evoke a sense of human frailty and powerlessness. While Nakamura’s creations have received acclaim both domestically and internationally, he has long carried a sense of difficulty in his life. Born with a congenital disability, Nakamura persists in his artistic pursuits with the support of his partner. One day, a conversation with a parent and child during a photo shoot brings an unexpected realization.

This is an NHK documentary program featuring Tomomichi Nakamura as the subject. The program is still available for on-demand viewing on NHK. If you’re interested, please do watch it!

Ants, human beings and myself: Works of Nakamura Tomomichi

Document 20 min.