Zen Foto Gallery is pleased to announce Yang Seung-Woo’s photography exhibition “Yang-Taro Baka-Taro” from September 17th to October 16th, 2021. This exhibition is the artist’s 6th solo exhibition at the gallery, commemorating the publication of his photobook under the same title. The photobook features snapshots taken by Yang as he travels around the world and a vividly written autobiographical essay on his childhood in Korea, and this exhibition will show a selection of works from the photobook. We hope you will enjoy the exhibition.

“It is often said that memories and early landscapes of childhood play an important role in the works we create. Therefore, forgetting one’s childhood is a serious matter for those who create art.

In other words, I am told that it is okay for me to be who I am, as a person who has never grown up. This work is about the landscapes of my childhood, as someone who cannot grow up.

However, I’m a little worried about Zen Foto, who made a book of this work, originally intended just for fun.

Anyway, I think those who would bother to come to see this exhibition are really nice people and really like me. I am extremely grateful for them. Thank you so much.”

— Yang Seung-Woo

Artist Profile

YANG Seung-Woo

Born in Korea, Seung-Woo Yang first came to Japan in 1996. After graduating from Nippon Photography Institute and the photography department of Tokyo Polytechnic University, he completed his graduate research in Media Art at Tokyo Polytechnic University and continued his career in Japan. In 2016, his publication “Shinjuku Lost Child” with Zen Foto Gallery, a monochrome street photography series which focused on the people at Kabukicho, Shinjuku received the 36th Domon Ken Award. He also released “End of the Line - Kotobukicho” with Zen Foto Gallery in 2017 and had his solo exhibition in inbetween gallery, Paris, expanding his activities internationally. His other publications so far include “You’re there and I’m here” (Shinpusha, 2006), “You’re there and I’m here 2” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2011), “The Best Days” (Zen Foto Gallery, 2012), “The Best Days” new edition (Zen Foto Gallery, 2019), "The Last Cabaret" (Zen Foto Gallery, 2020), "Yang-Taro Baka-Taro" (Zen Foto Gallery, 2021), "TEKIYA" (Zen Foto Gallery, 2022) and "Baggage" (Zen Foto Gallery, 2023).

Publications & Prints