Kazuo KITAI
北井一夫
Kazuo Kitai, born in China in 1944, is best known for his protest photography of the 1960s and 1970s. He earned the prestigious Ihei Kimura Memorial Award for Photography for his work “Mura-e”, a year-long documentation of Japan’s rural life. In the 1980s, he concerned himself with the citizens of Osaka and Tokyo (”Shinsekai Monogatari”, “Funabashi Monogatari”). Recent years have seen him publish a regular column in Nippon Camera magazine (”Walking with Leica”) as well as a rise of public interest in his work both in Japan and overseas.
Chronology
1944 Born in Anshan, China
1965 Leaves Nihon University College of Art after 6 months
1965 Photography book - “Teiko” (self-published, later Mirai-sha Press)
1971 Photography book - “Sanrizuka” (Nora-sha)
1972 Award - Newcomer’s Award from The Photographic Society of Japan, for his work “Sanrizuka”
1975-77 “Mura-e” is published as a series in Asahi Camera magazine
1977 Award - Ihei Kimura Memorial Award for Photography, for his work “Mura-e”
1978 Exhibition - “Mura-e”
1979 “The Journey into German Exressionism” is published as a series in Asahi Camera Magazine
1981 Photography book - “Shinsekai Monogatari” (Choueisha)
1987 Exhibition - “Funabashi Story”
1990 Photography book - “Itsuka Mita Fukei” (Sokyu-sha)
1994 Photography book - “Otenki” (Terajima-sha)
2001 Photography book - “1970 Nendai Nippon” (Tosei-sha)
2001 Photography book - “1990 Nendai Beijing” (Tosei-sha)
2004 Exhibition - “Time Tunnel Series: The Times and Form of Photography”
2006 Photography Book - “80’s Funabashi Story” (Tosei-sha)
2009 Exhibition - “Walking with Leica 1”
2010 Exhibition - “Walking with Leica 2”
2010 Exhibition - “Spanish Night”
2010 Exhibition - “China 1973”
2011 Exhibition - “Walking with Leica 3”
2011 Exhibition - “Barricade”
2011 Exhibition - “Mura-e”
2011 Exhibition - “Kobe Dockers”
2011 Exhibition - “Somehow Familiar Places”
1965 Leaves Nihon University College of Art after 6 months
1965 Photography book - “Teiko” (self-published, later Mirai-sha Press)
1971 Photography book - “Sanrizuka” (Nora-sha)
1972 Award - Newcomer’s Award from The Photographic Society of Japan, for his work “Sanrizuka”
1975-77 “Mura-e” is published as a series in Asahi Camera magazine
1977 Award - Ihei Kimura Memorial Award for Photography, for his work “Mura-e”
1978 Exhibition - “Mura-e”
1979 “The Journey into German Exressionism” is published as a series in Asahi Camera Magazine
1981 Photography book - “Shinsekai Monogatari” (Choueisha)
1987 Exhibition - “Funabashi Story”
1990 Photography book - “Itsuka Mita Fukei” (Sokyu-sha)
1994 Photography book - “Otenki” (Terajima-sha)
2001 Photography book - “1970 Nendai Nippon” (Tosei-sha)
2001 Photography book - “1990 Nendai Beijing” (Tosei-sha)
2004 Exhibition - “Time Tunnel Series: The Times and Form of Photography”
2006 Photography Book - “80’s Funabashi Story” (Tosei-sha)
2009 Exhibition - “Walking with Leica 1”
2010 Exhibition - “Walking with Leica 2”
2010 Exhibition - “Spanish Night”
2010 Exhibition - “China 1973”
2011 Exhibition - “Walking with Leica 3”
2011 Exhibition - “Barricade”
2011 Exhibition - “Mura-e”
2011 Exhibition - “Kobe Dockers”
2011 Exhibition - “Somehow Familiar Places”
