YANAGISAWA, Shin - Untitled

Personal statement of the photographer, Shin YANAGISAWA

"A photograph needs no words."

Background information

"The photo book 'Untitles Youth' was Shin YANAGISAWA's photo book debut in 1958. He then concentrated on photography for magazines during an absence from home due to illness that lasted for two years from 1961. After returning to Japan, his focus turned to various places in Japan. The subject, the photographer's emotions, sharpen to a point where it is not necessary to explain them in words. He captured the world reflected in his eye at his own pace, regardless of the trends of the surroundings. This is matched by an episode in the early 1970s when Shoji Yamagishi, then editor-in-chief of Mainichi magazine, 'the 'Emperor', refused to publish his work.
Since the publication of 'Shin Yanagisawa / Photograph' in 1990, it took another 27 years for Michitaka Ota, who became famous as the editor of Masahisa FUKASE's iconic photo book 'Raven', to republish 'Untitled' - definitely a historic decision for Japan's photo book history. 'Untitled' is a powerful photo book that can be fully enjoyed for its delicate yet very coherent composition." (somewhat modified as well as freely translated publisher's text, original: © Roshin Books, 2017)

About the Japanese photographer, Shin YANAGISAWA (1936-2008)

Photo books by and about the work of Shin YANAGISAWA