Zen Foto Gallery - Roppongi

Travel

Dec 10

Written By Sylvie Soulier

I have a soft spot for Roppongi as it’s where I lived for two months during my very first stay in Japan.

Zen Foto Gallery is located in the small Piramide complex, which hosts several art galleries.

The day of my visit was a lucky one: both the gallery owner and photographer Miki Fukumoto were there. I had already seen some of Miki’s photographs at Masaki Yamamoto Pâtisserie in Arles two years ago, during the Rencontres d’Arles. Zen Foto Gallery was also present that year to receive the 2024 Historical Photo Book Award.

So I had the rare pleasure of browsing that beautiful book with its editor, and of discovering Miki’s latest exhibition.

Her series WADATSUMI - God of the Sea is dedicated to Japan’s fishermen and coastal workers, combining powerful portraits and seascapes taken all around the country.

The chromatic work is remarkable: many of the images are taken at sunrise, with a saturated palette or purples and pinks, highlighted by a touch of golden light. Each print is made on a special Japanese paper and hand-varnished by the artist, who adds a subtle shimmering finish. Faces and silhouettes emerge vividly from backgrounds of sky and sea, creating a quiet yet striking sense of depth.

We promised to meet again. At the next Rencontres d’Arles, of course.