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  ©Kochi Prefecture, Ishimoto Yasuhiro Photo Center

Yasuhiro Ishimoto, a representative photographer of Japan, is internationally known as well. He has been producing enormous numbers of work over a half century and is active photographing people in Shibuya, Tokyo, for several years. 

The series of photographs of young people’s back waiting for the light to change at the scramble crossing in front of Shibuya Station was begun in 2002. Holding his 35mm camera around on his stomach seemingly casually, Mr. Ishimoto continues to shooting people at the same scramble crossing after a part of photographs was shown in 2003 and 2004 at the exhibitions entitled “Street Corner.” “Shibuya, Shibuya” is the latest work including photographs this year.

Crowds of people come out on a chaotic street corner in Shibuya, there are overflowing alphabet, various print patterns such as animal, dot, net, and painting, etc., on their faceless back of T-shirt. Mr. Ishimoto photographs enormous numbers of these people from back with keen sense of form and critical spirit. In his photographs, pluralistic matters he takes deep interest such as about city, people, form, time, etc., appears. These photographs lead us to read and think about various matters. The unwavering photographic activity by Mr. Ishimoto, the person of wisdom, is just the way of his life that accepts presents and is always thinking.

Around 60 photographs in Shibuya are shown at the exhibition in conjunction with the publication of his latest book “Shibuya, Shibuya.” This is the exhibition to feel photographic world of Mr. Ishimoto.

Yasuhiro Ishimoto 
Born in 1921 in San Francisco. Spent his early life and school days in Kochi Prefecture, Japan, 1924-1939. Returned to the U.S.A. by himself in 1939. Studied at the Chicago Institute of Design (commonly known as New Bauhaus, later placed to the Illinois Institute of Technology.) Graduated from Institute of Design of IIT in 1952. Moved to Japan in 1953.Stayed in Chicago in 1958-61. Obtained Japanese Citizenship in 1969. He is producing enormous numbers of work based in Japan. Received the Person of Cultural Merit Award in 1996. Well known for his masterpieces captures “Chicago”, “Tokyo”, “Katsura”, “Mandala” and “Ise.”

One-person exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, The Museum of Art Kochi, and others.

Exhibitions at PGI