Born in Tokyo, 1975. Graduated from Tokyo Polytechnic University, Department of Photography in 1998. Lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. His past solo exhibitions include “Macaroni Christian” (Konica Minolta Plaza Gallery, 1996), “Showa 88” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2011), “Showa 92” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2015), “Showa 88-95” (KKAG, 2018), and “Showa 96” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2019). Usui has also participated in numerous group exhibitions including “San Marino International Photomeeting” in 1997, “In & Out” at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, “A Vision of Japan” at Galleri Balder, Oslo. His main publications are “Macaroni Christian” (Bijutsu Shuppan, 2006), “Showa 88” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2011), “Showa 92” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2015), “Showa 96” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2019), and “Photography? End?” (Magic Hour Edition, 2022). In 2015 he was responsible for the planning and cinematography of the movie “The 14th Dalai Lama”. Usui’s works are included in public collections such as Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts in Yamanashi, Tokyo Polytechnic University, and the Amana Collection, Tokyo.

Selected Publications

2006 “Macaroni Christian”, Bijutsu Shuppan-sha, Tokyo, Japan
2011 “Showa88”, Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo Japan
2015 “Showa92”, Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo Japan
2019 “Showa96”, Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo Japan
2022 “Photography? End?” Magic Hour Edition, Tokyo, Japan

Selected Solo Exhibitions

1999 Macaroni Christian, Konica Minolta Plaza Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2011 Showa88, Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2013 Showa88, Shadai Gallery, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Tokyo, Japan
2015 Showa92, Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2018 Showa88-95, KKAG, Tokyo, Japan
2019 Showa96, Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2022 B/W, Place M Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan
2022 Showa Trilogy, Ibasho Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

Selected Group Exhibitions

1997 Sun Marino International Photomeeting, San Marino
2000 Humanscape, Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts, Yamanashi, Japan
2003 In & Out, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japan
2009 Editor's Choice: Magazine editors select the most promising young
photographers, Ricoh Ring Cube Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2010 Snaps, Ricoh Ring Cube Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.
2010 Tokyo Photo, Roppongi Hills Academyhills 40, Tokyo, Japan
2012 Contemporary Japanese Photobooks,
    The Photographer's Gallery, London, UK
2012 Tokyo Photo, Tokyo Midtown Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2012 10×10 Japanese Photobooks, ICP-Bard MFA Studio Space, New York, USA
2013 The Emerging Photography Artist Instyle Photography Center, Tokyo, Japan 2013 Tokyo Photo, Zojo-ji, Tokyo, Japan
2014 CREATIVE©ITIES: Mapping creativity in Asia-Pacific’s cities today,
    P2 Warehouse, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2014 Japon, Abbaye St André Centre d’art Contemporain, Meymac, France
2014 Fotofever, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2015 The 8th Gelatin Silver Session, Axis Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2015 Daikanyama Photo Fair, Daikanyama Hillside Forum, Tokyo, Japan
2015 Fotofever, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2015 Regards Croisés Phot'Aix 2015, Festival
    photographique d’Aix en Provence, France
2015 40×40, Shadai Gallery, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Tokyo, Japan
2016 The 8th Gelatin Silver Session,
    Irie Taikichi Memorial Museum of Photography Nara City, Japan
2016 Flowers, Shadai Gallery, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Tokyo Japan
2016 A Vision of Japan, Galleri Balder, Oslo, Norway
2017 The 9th Gelatin Silver Session, Axis Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2017 Colors, Shadai Gallery, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Tokyo Japan
2019 The 10th Gelatin Silver Session, Axis Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2019 GSS Fujifilm Acros × 39 Photographers, Fujifilm Square, Tokyo, Japan
2019 Rencontres de la Photographie de Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco
2022 Icon Contemporary Photography II, Axis Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2022 Inside Out: Through Japanese and Israeli Lenses, TEO Center for Culture, Art and Content, Herzliya, Israel

Awards

1996 The 18th Fox Talbot Awards
1999 Fuji Photo Salon Newcomers Award — Encouraging Prize
2006 Advertising Photography in Japan 2006, Grand Prize,
Japan Advertising Photographer’s Association
2011 Advertising Photography in Japan 2011, Grand Prize,
    Japan Advertising Photographer’s Association
2012 Kassel International Photobook Festival, Nomination, France
2016 41st Kimura Ihei Award, Nomination / Asahi Shimbun Company, Japan

Collections

Tokyo Polytechnic University, Tokyo, Japan
Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts, Yamanashi, Japan
The Amana Collection, Tokyo, Japan

Gallery Exhibitions

Publications & Prints

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