Yutaka Takanashi
Famous Japanese photographer Yutaka Takanashi was born in Tokyo on February 6, 1935. After graduating from Nihon University in 1957 with a degree in photography, Takanashi worked as a lowly assistant at renowned Osamu Yagi Studio. This was the beginning of his soon-to-be bright career.
After his stint as an assistant, Takanashi enrolled at the Kuwasawa Design School (graduated in 1961). Although he dropped out of a program at the Japan Design Center in 1970, ten years later, Takanashi became an assistant professor at the Tokyo University of Art and Design. Three years later, in 1983, he made professor there.
Yutaka Takanashi: Career
Although Yutaka Takanashi’s education may be impressive, despite his collegiate accomplishments, his career only began after his Nihon University graduation work appeared in the September 1957 issue of Sankei Camera. He tried, without much success, to join several news companies, eventually finding his niche doing darkroom work.
Takanashi exhibited his first one-man show entitled “Somthin’ Else” in 1960. One year later, he started doing commercial photography for the Japan Design Center.
After he took on commercial photography, he was a one-person photographer who succeeded in taking moving, urban photos in and around Japan during the sixties. He is especially famous for his photos of Tokyo during 1978-1983. Some of his more famous works include “The Tokyoites” and “Toward the Town Center.”
The Opus of Yutaka Takanashi
Tokyo, as well as other metropolitan areas, was often a subject of great interest to Yutaka Takanashi. Unlike other photographers of his time who liked to photograph nature, Yutaka Takanashi preferred to find beauty in the urban landscape. This is characteristic of many post-modern artists, who swept the art world after WWII.
However, Yutaka Takanashi didn’t always photograph in the city. One of Yutaka Takanashi’s most famous works is the “Pre-Landscapes” collection. Although this collection was shot in black and white, his usual medium, he was also quite adept shooting in color.
Some of Yutaka Takanashi’s renowned photographic exhibits include:
- 1976 Japanese Today: The Photograph
- 1979 “Human Image” at Minolta photo space, Osaka
- 1982 “Tokyo Person 1978-1982” Olympus Gallery, Tokyo
- 1985 “Paris, New York, and Tokyo” Tsukuba photograph fine arts museum
- 1990 “Displaying of Tokyo City” Tokyo Phtograph Fine Arts Museum
- 1992 “Pre-Landscape” Minolta Photo Space, Tokyo.
Awards Earned by Yutaka Takanashi
As his career progressed, Yutaka Takanashi was the recipient of many awards, such as:
- 1964 Japan Society of Photographic Critics, Newcomer’s Award
- 1967 Grand Prix, Youth Biennale in Paris
- 1984 Japan Photographic Society, Award of the Year
- 1993 Japan Photographic Society, Award of the Year.
The Influence of Yutaka Takanashi
The works of Yutaka Takanashi are prominently displayed at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, as well as the Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum.
The photographer has numerous books published with his works, most of them based on his shows. His most recent work, entitled Nostalghia, includes many photos of his favorite topic, the city.
Currently resides in Tokyo, Yutaka Takanashi continues to put out new photography work.
I am a photographer, writer, entrepreneur, and programmer living in the great city of Chicago. I love to solve problems with technology and share what I have learned along the way.