Photographer Yanagisawa Makoto (1936–2008) quietly stands out in the history of postwar Japanese photography.
This book, "Untitled," is his first new photo book in 17 years and is composed mainly of photographs from his travels in the 1960s and 1970s.
Yanagisawa attracted attention with his debut work, "Untitled Youth," published in Minolta's public relations magazine, Rokkor, in 1958, and throughout his life he maintained the belief that "photography does not need words."
Facing his subjects head-on and capturing a world that cannot be reached through words with a sharp gaze, his works still exude a strong sense of serenity and tension even after the passage of time.
Only three photobooks were published during his lifetime. This book brings to life the precious works of this solitary artist who distanced himself from trends and authority and recorded the world at his own pace.
[Title] Untitled
[Publisher] roshin books
[Date of publication] March 15, 2017
[Number of pages] 96 pages
[Size] Approx. 25.7 x 25.7 x 1.8 cm, 0.81 kg
[Format] Hardcover
[Title reading] Untitled
[Authors/Editors] Makoto Yanagisawa/Author, Michitaka Ota/Editor, Hisanori Yanagimoto/Text, Katsuya Kato/Design
[Printing] Yamada Photo Engraving Co., Ltd./Printing, Kumakura Keizo/Printing Director
[ISBN] 978-4-9907230-6-4
[Condition] Used, above average [6]
[Accessories] None
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Shin Yanagisawa (1936-2008)
Born in Sumida Ward, Tokyo in 1936.
Graduated from the Technical Department of Tokyo College of Photography in 1957.
He attracted attention with his debut work, "Untitled Youth," published in Minolta's public relations magazine Rokkor in 1958. The work's neat composition and sharp yet serene gaze on the subject made a fresh impact on the photography world at the time.
From 1961, he took a break from photography for about two years to recover from pulmonary tuberculosis, but after returning to work he traveled all over the country, photographing the landscapes and people of Japan from his own unique perspective.
In 1967, he won the Newcomer Award from the Japan Photo Critics Association for works such as "Conversation of Two Towns" and "Tatsuhi."
Based on the belief that "photography has no need for words," he maintained a pure approach to his subjects, presenting his work at his own pace without being influenced by commercial trends or the trends of the times. During his lifetime, he held only four solo exhibitions and published three photo books, but despite his limited output, he left a strong presence.
He died on June 2, 2008 in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture.
His representative works include "Untitled Youth" (1958) and "Yanagisawa Makoto: Photographs" (1990).
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Makoto Yanagisawa,
