Photo exhibition by TAKAO MATSUOKA

Artist Statement

One evening, I happened to look up and saw a full moon suspended in the night sky. It seemed to ask me a silent question.

Its gentle light illuminated everything around me, deepening the silence until every sound slowly disappeared. Even the sound of my breathing and the beating of my heart seemed to fade away. The stillness within that light felt both beautiful and eternal.

I wondered: What would happen if a person became light? What thoughts would remain in an endless silence?

These questions, born in childhood, have stayed with me throughout my life.

Years later, I picked up an old camera. As its lens gathered light, it projected a small full moon into the palm of my hand. Captivated by its quiet beauty, I began searching for a way to preserve that moment exactly as it appeared.

In the developer, the moon slowly emerged, gently swaying in the liquid. Without a sound, its soft edges formed before it seemed to drift once again into the stillness of the night.

The full moon I saw as a child continues to ask me the same silent question today.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Biography

Born in Kyoto, Japan

Lives and works in Kyoto, Japan

From an early age, I dreamed of becoming a painter, which led me to attend an art-focused high school.

While visiting galleries, I became fascinated not only by the artworks themselves but also by the way they were presented. I developed a deep interest in exhibition design and in how framing, lighting, the angle of light, and color temperature can transform the viewer's experience of a work.

As I studied painting, light, and color, a visit to a traditional hand-painted Yuzen workshop introduced me to the rich luster and vibrant colors of silk. Inspired by this experience, I entered the Textile Dyeing Department of an art college.

During my studies, I encountered an old camera and was profoundly moved by the photographs of Nobuyoshi Araki. Determined to discover my own photographic language, I began designing and building handmade cameras.

Using a wooden box, I built a camera that accepts 120 roll film and is fitted with a 4×5 shutter and a 35 mm lens. The larger film format records the lens's circular image exactly as it naturally appears, preserving the image circle itself as an essential part of the photograph.

Through these photographs, I hope viewers feel as though they are standing where I once stood—looking through the lens and quietly pressing the shutter themselves.

After graduating, I joined a textile dyeing company, where I continue to work while pursuing my photographic practice.

My work focuses primarily on everyday life in Kyoto. I photograph people with their permission so that the images can be shared publicly through exhibitions and social media.

In 2018, I met a graphic designer from Belgium who was visiting Kyoto. She was deeply moved by the authenticity of my photographs and encouraged me to exhibit my work publicly. Her encouragement led to my first solo exhibition in 2020.

Since then, we have remained in close contact, discussing my work, exhibition design, and artist statements. I also promised her that one day I would hold an exhibition in Brussels.

Today, my goal is to present my work in both Brussels and New York.

I photograph with cameras of my own construction, built around vintage photographic lenses and medium-format roll film. Rather than cropping the image, I preserve the lens's original circular image circle as an essential element of the work. The camera itself is designed to reveal each lens's unique optical character, making the instrument an integral part of my photographic expression.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

◆2026,November 10–14,

Selected Exhibitions

Photographers' Perspectives – Emerging Voices in Contemporary Photography

produced by RECTO VERSO GALLERY, Tokyo

2025

KYOTOGRAPHIE KG+

Shoyeido, Kyoto

https://kgplus.kyotographie.jp/exhibitions/2025/takao-matsuoka/

2022

AMS Photo Gallery, Kyoto

Ginza 7th Building Gallery, Tokyo

2021

AMS Photo Gallery, Kyoto

2020

Solo Exhibition

Gallery Marronnier 5F, Kyoto

http://www.gallery-maronie.com/exhibitions/space5/6657/

Selected Artist, Public Exhibition

Joyo Art Gallery, Kyoto

2001

Photographs published in Kyoto Visitors Guide (November Issue)

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

ふと見上げると満月が夜空に浮かんでいた、その満月は私に向かい無言で問いかける。

柔らかな月の光は辺りを照らし更に静まり返える、光が全ての音をゆっくりと消していく、

私の呼吸や鼓動の音も消えていた、その光の静寂は美しく永遠と思えた。

人が光になったらどうなるのか、永遠に続く静寂の中で何を思うのか。

この幼い頃の経験と問いは後の人生に影響を与えた。

ある日、手にした古い写真機、レンズは光を集め小さな満月を手のひらに照らす。

この小さな満月のありのままの美しさを残す方法を探した。

現像液の中でゆっくりと揺れる満月、音も無く柔らかな境界線を描き静寂の夜空に浮かぶ。

あの日の満月は今も私に無言で問いかける。

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

京都市生まれ。京都市在住。

画家を志し美術系高校へ進学。多くの画廊を巡りながら作品そのものだけでなく、どのように展示されているか額装や照明、光の角度、色温度などで作品の見え方が大きく変わる空間そのものへの関心を深める。

絵画や光、色彩について学ぶ中、手描き友禅工房を訪れた際、絹が持つ豊かな光沢と鮮やかな発色に魅了される、その経験をきっかけに美術大学の染色学科へ進学。

在学中に古い写真機と出会うと同時に荒木経惟氏の作品に衝撃を受ける。

写真表現を追求する過程で自ら写真機を製作。

木箱に120ロールフィルムが装填できる写真機を製作、4×5判用シャッターと35mm判用レンズを組み合わせる。

面積の大きなフィルムを用いることで、レンズが本来描き出す円形の像（イメージサークル）を、そのまま記録することができます。

それぞれのレンズが持つ固有の光学的な個性を引き出します、撮影の道具であると同時に、写真表現そのものを支える重要な存在でもあります。

この写真を通して、鑑賞者がまるで私と同じ場所に立ち、自らレンズを覗き、静かにシャッターを切っているような感覚を味わっていただければと願っています。

大学卒業後は染色会社に勤務、現在も仕事を続けながら写真制作を行っています。

京都の街で出会う人々に撮影の許可をいただき、展覧会やSNSなどを通して作品を発表。

2018年、京都を訪れていたベルギー出身のグラフィックデザイナーと出会いました。

彼女は私の作品に描かれた京都の日常の真実性に深く感動し、公の場で作品を発表するよう勧めてくれました。

それがきっかけとなり、2020年に初の個展を開催。

以来、現在も彼女とは交流を続け、作品や展示構成について意見を交わしています。

いつかブリュッセルで展覧会を開催することを約束しました。

目標はブリュッセルとニューヨークで写真展を開催することです。

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

◆2026年11月10日（火）～ 11月14日（土）、グループ展、RECTO VERSO GALLERY、東京。

◆フォトグラファーの視点～気鋭の写真表現者たち～

◆平日／火曜日～金曜日 12:00～18:00

◆最終日／土曜日 12:00～15:30

◆※日・月・祝日休廊

◆103-0025東京都中央区日本橋茅場町2-17-13第2イノウエビル3F・4F

2025年 4月、京都国際写真祭KG+、香老舗松栄堂、京都。

https://kgplus.kyotographie.jp/exhibitions/2025/takao-matsuoka/

2022年12月、写真展、AMS写真館、京都。

2022年10月、写真展、銀座第7ビルギャラリー、東京。

2021年 3月、写真展、AMS写真館、京都。

2020年11月、写真展、ギャラリーマロニエ5F、京都。

http://www.gallery-maronie.com/exhibitions/space5/6657/

2020年9月、公募展、入選、城陽アートギャラリー、京都。

2001年11月号、観光紙に掲載、Kyoto Visitors Guide.