Yuji Susaki

Yuji Susaki

- Profile -


Yuji Susaki / Artist, photographer

The housing complexes in the 1960s and early 1970s where I spent my childhood could be said to be a microcosm of Japan during the period of high economic growth. Hundreds of families lived in the geometric apartment complexes, with dozens of buildings towering on a hilltop, hopeful working couples, and many energetic children. Every single person experienced Japan's economic growth. I grew up there as a child who was sensitive to the difference between "light and shadow" such as the flowers blooming on the south side of the complex, the deciduous trees, and the moss and ferns filling the north side, and my visual acuity has only increased with each passing year. In contrast to the rapid economic growth, I also spent my childhood influenced by fantastical works that seemed to reflect the conflicts people were going through at the time. The imagination and delusional ideas that I had cultivated since then are still the foundation of my work as infantilism. The most important thing I value in creating is my own "conscience and true feelings."

"Conscience" here refers to the judgment born from reason, and "true feelings" refers to the author's desires. Of course, there are times when the author's conscientious judgment takes precedence, and there are times when the author's true feelings lead to rational ideas. Reflecting the conflict that arises between these two in the work at the same time is risky and creates a kind of instability. However, while yin and yang, front and back, may appear to be opposites, I feel that they are actually one world.

The process in which "conscience" and "true feelings" sharpen each other's senses in the work. This kind of artistic creation, which pushes the boundaries, is what I am pursuing. I think I am drawn to the things that exist between "light" and "shadow."

By capturing the "front" and "back" of humanity, I create works that delve deeper into the question of "what does it mean to be human?", recreating the world of "two sides" that I experienced in my childhood through Japan's hidden culture and customs.

Homepage
Instagram

Exhibition

1990 / familiar / Z-gallery (New York)
1992 / symmetry / Mariposa-gallery (Tokyo)
1992 / SPIRIT / Gadian Garden gallery (Tokyo)
1994 / silence of organs / Mariposa-gallery (Tokyo)
1994 / BooBs / East-gallery (Tokyo)
1997 / flowers / Tokyo-gas gallery (Tokyo)
2008 / space / Saito-gallery (Hokkaido)
2013 / COSPLAY made in Japan / EMON Photo Gallery (Tokyo)
2015 / Director's Choice Vol.3 B&W Exhibition / EMON photo Gallery (Tokyo)
2015 / Human figure jin-zo Part1 FORM / EMON photo Gallery (Tokyo)
2016 / Hole of human EMON Photo Gallery / EMON photo Gallery (Tokyo)
2018 / jinzo | Human Figure Exhibition II / EMON photo Gallery (Tokyo)
2022 / icon contemporary photography Ⅱ / AXIS Gallery (Tokyo)

Awards

1992 / 1st prize in the Guardian Garden competition (Tokyo)
2012 / PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 3rd prize “Creation” Fine art-professional (France)
2012 / International photography Award “Creation” Honorable Mention in Fine art (USA)
2013 / PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris “60 trillion cells” ird prize in the category Fine Art (USA)
2013 / PX3 Prix de la Photographie paris “COSPLAY made in Japan” honorable mentionin category Books (France)
2013 / PX3 People's choice awards 3rd prize-book-people “COSPLAY made in Japan”
2013 / PX3 People's choice awards 3rd prize-book-other_B “COSPLAY made in Japan”
2013 / International photography Award “60 trillion cells” Honorable Mention in Fine art (USA)
2013 / International photography Award 3rd prize “Hair of Human” Honorable Mention in Fine art (USA)
2013 / International photography Award “Hole of Human” Honorable Mention in Fine art (USA)

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Mask girl


Bird's-eye view with sweets mold of the leaf


Bird's-eye view with sweets mold of the pine


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-Exhibition Information-

icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY×ROOTOTE in GINZA TSUTAYA BOOKS

Ginza Tsutaya Books is holding the second collaboration project between CCC Art Lab, icon, which is holding a group exhibition "icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY" by artists focusing on contemporary photography, and tote bag specialty store ROOTOTE.

Prints by Shiobara Masumi, Kurimoto Misato, Hirazawa Kenji, and Susaki Yuji will also be on display and for sale, as well as art photo tote bags featuring works by 13 photographers participating in icon (Ikeya Tomohide, Suzuki Moeko, Oguro Kumi, and others).

Date: March 6th (Wednesday) - April 2nd (Tuesday), 2024

*End date may be subject to change.

Time: 10:30 - 21:00 *Final day ends at 17:00

Venue: Ginza Tsutaya Bookstore Art Book Section

Address: GINZA SIX 6F, 6-10-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Organized by: Ginza Tsutaya Bookstore

Cooperation: icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY, ROOTOTE
Inquiries: 03-3575-7755 (during business hours) / info.ginza@ccc.co.jp

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- products -

*Due to the nature of the printing process, it may take up to 20 days from the time of order to shipping.
*If you purchase this item together with a regular product, it will be shipped together with this product. Please be careful.
*The color of the actual product may differ depending on your monitor settings and room lighting.




Detail

The artist's work is heat-transfer printed on the classic tote bag "TALL", which is a signature of ROOTOTE. The artist's caption and signature are printed on the back pocket.

Autographed price: 6,600 yen (tax included)
*The autographed tote bag will be sold exclusively at the Exhibition venue.

Web price: 6,600 yen (tax included)
*Tote bags sold online will have the artist's signature printed on them.

Material: Cotton (heat transfer print)
Size: H38×W30×D9cm
Pockets: 1 outside, 2 inside

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