The Moat and The Mirror

• Photographer
  Corinne Vallienne
• Technical Info
  F/8 Iso 100. 1/160s
• Photo Date
  2025/09/28

Imperial Palace moat meets the modern skyline of Tokyo. A dialogue between stone history and glass impermanence. This high-contrast black and white photograph captures the frozen encounter between Tokyo’s deep past and its fleeting present. The solid stone wall and traditional pavilion of the Imperial Palace moat represent the enduring soul of Japan—a symbol of permanence. In stark contrast, the glass and steel towers of the modern skyline in the background embody the "Ukiyo-e in Concrete": the floating, ephemeral world of contemporary urbanization.

A French photographer and educator based in Tokyo for over 25 years, Corinne Vallienne explores the silent dialogue between Japan's urban density and the void. Her work bridges her European roots with a deep immersion in Japanese aesthetics. Moving away from the bustling neon stereotypes of Tokyo, she focuses on the city's brutalist geometry and concrete textures. Her ongoing project, 'Concrete Ukiyo-e,' reinterprets the traditional 'floating world' through modern architectural forms, capturing the ephemeral play of light on the city's permanent structures.