Event Report Mikio Hasui’s solo exhibition “Seventeen Portraits of the Sea” is on until Monday, September 15th (national holiday)! A special talk event will be held with a guest!

[Event Report] Mikio Hasui’s solo exhibition “Seventeen Portraits of the Sea” is on until Monday, September 15th (national holiday)! A special talk event will be held with a guest! ​
Gene Co., Ltd. Press release: September 5, 2025 To Members of the Press [Event Report] Mikio Hasui’s solo exhibition “Seventeen Portraits of the Sea” is on until Monday, September 15th (national holiday)! A special talk event will be held with a guest! A
conversation between Mikio Hasui and Mika Kitamura. Nuclear power, photography, and the truth of the “invisible.”
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YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA (4F, Stage 1 Nishidori, 2-1-4 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture) held a special talk event on Saturday, August 23rd, the opening day of Mikio Hasui’s solo exhibition “Seventeen Portraits of the Sea,” currently on view. This exhibition features 17 seascapes photographed by Mikio Hasui over a period of approximately one and a half years, from the end of 2023 to 2025, during which he visited all nuclear power plants in Japan, excluding the Oma Nuclear Power Plant in Aomori Prefecture, which is currently under construction. The event featured a special talk between photographer Mika Kitamura and Mikio Hasui. This conversation touched on the social themes of “nuclear power” and the “relationship between nature and civilization,” a theme common to both artists’ works, and was discussed from a variety of perspectives. Hasui spoke about the thoughts behind this exhibition, “Seventeen Portraits of the Sea.” He stated, “The sea reflects the invisible,” and argued that even in seemingly calm seascapes, there is certainly “something” invisible to the eye. He also spoke about the possibilities of photographic expression, saying, “Photographs not only record the past, but also have the power to reflect the future.” Kitamura touched on his experiences reporting in atomic bomb-hit cities like Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and spoke about the meaning of presenting social themes in his work and the resolve that comes with it. His question of how a photographer should confront “truth” seemed to resonate deeply with attendees.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/74187/496/74187-496-4fc25e518453ee14bed76deef83114f7-3900×2600.jpg After the talk, there was a Q&A session, during which attendees asked questions about the work. The two artists answered our questions thoughtfully from their respective perspectives, providing a valuable opportunity to reconsider the expressive power and social relevance of photography. The quiet yet certain power of the medium of photography. And the eternal challenge of how to capture the “invisible.” This conversation was a valuable opportunity to foster new perspectives and sensations between the work and the viewer. Event overview Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/74187/496/74187-496-8b4009348ae89b0aaea89343a7f25b06-1280×670.jpg ■Title: Portraits of the Seventeen Seas ■Period: August 23, 2025 (Saturday) to September 15, 2025 (Monday/holiday) ■Opening Hours: 11:00 – 19:00 *Closes at 17:00 on the last day only ■Artist Talk: Saturday, August 23, 14:00 – 15:00 [Finished] ■Closed: Tuesdays ■Availability: Saturday, August 23rd [End] ■Location: YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA ■Address: 4F Stage 1 Nishidori, 2-1-4 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture ■Admission: Free *For the latest artist schedule, please visit the gallery’s Instagram page: About the Works of Mikio Hasui Works will be available to view and purchase at the YUGEN Gallery official online store at the same time as the exhibition opens. ■ Work sales site (YUGEN Gallery)
https://yugen-gallery.com/collections/mikio-hasui Related works introduction
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/74187/496/74187-496-40c354e3c900a98561cea091a893068d-1920×1536.jpg Portraits of Seventeen Seas #15 (Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture) Artist Profile
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/74187/496/74187-496-8e94c8776185419ac2dea4b9d764f358-1276×1276.png Mikio Hasui Photographer. Born in Tokyo in 1955. Influenced by his father, an amateur photographer, he began taking photographs at a young age. After dropping out of the Department of Sociology at Meiji Gakuin University, he studied under art director Takeshi Moriya. As an art director, he worked on many advertisements and record jackets. He began self-studying photography at the age of 30, and became a photographer after holding a solo exhibition in 1988. He gained attention for his portraits of celebrities, including those in Shinchosha’s magazine “03,” and has worked in a wide range of fields, including fashion and documentaries. Since around 2000, he has also been shooting movies, producing numerous music videos and commercials. His awards include the Silver Spike at Spikes Asia (2017), the Beautiful Japan Award at the APA Awards 2019, and the Grand Prize at the 67th Nikkei Advertising Awards (all in 2018). His works are housed in the collections of the National Library of France and the Tokyo Polytechnic University Shadai Gallery. He currently runs a photography studio called “The Photo Studio Next to the Forest” in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture, and works as an artist splitting his time between Tokyo and the city. Artist official website: https://mikiohasui.com Exhibitions 2013: Solo exhibition “IMAGINE IN THE LIGHT” at COMME des GARCONS BLACK SHOP, Berlin 2014: Special exhibition “Two Mountains” at White Box Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2017: London, THE BRICK LANE GALLERY, Special Exhibition “PHOTOGRAPHY NOW” 2018: Kuala Lumpur, ILHAM, Special Exhibition “Two Mountains Photography Project 3.0” 2020: Tokyo, WHYNOT.TOKYO, Solo Exhibition “Hidden Landscapes,” “For yesterday” 2021 Tokyo, WHYNOT.TOKYO, solo exhibition “Impermanent Flowers” 2022 Tokyo, WHYNOT.TOKYO, solo exhibition “Poetry Photography and its Surroundings -Circulation and Similar Forms-” 2024 Tokyo, YUGEN Gallery, Fukuoka, YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA Solo Exhibition “Beauty Resides Even in the End of Decay” 2025, Tokyo, YUGEN Gallery Solo Exhibition “Seventeen Portraits of the Sea” Collection 2009: “PEACE LAND,” National Library of France 2010: “Photography in Poetry,” National Library of France 2015: “GELATIN SILVER SESSION 2007, 2008,” Tokyo Polytechnic University, Shadai Gallery Photo collection 1993 HAWAII (KOEI) 1994 PEACE LAND 1990-1994 (Korinsha Publishing) 1995 Jet Black 59 (Switch Publishing) 2000 TOKO (Snappin’ Buddha) 2002 PEACE LAND 1995-2001 (Snappin’ Buddha) 2008 PEACE LAND 2002-2007 (Buddha Press) 2010 Poetry Photography / 17photos, 17syllables *TOKYO PHOTO 2010 leaflet About YUGEN Gallery
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/74187/496/74187-496-31ca515069043f3069bf6e38e7448af9-1280×670.jpg YUGEN Gallery is a gallery specializing in Japanese contemporary art, established in February 2022. It operates from two locations: Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo, and Tenjin, Fukuoka. The gallery’s name, “YUGEN,” comes from the uniquely Japanese aesthetic concept of “yugen,” and embodies our desire to convey to as many people as possible the appeal of Japanese art, which embodies elements such as depth, sublimity, elegance, grace, brilliance, and magnificence. Our gallery introduces up-and-coming contemporary artists active both in Japan and abroad, exhibiting a wide range of works across genres. In addition, our official website sells works online in both Japanese and English, bringing art to people around the world. [Gallery overview] ＜YUGEN Gallery＞ ■Address: 4F KD Minamiaoyama Building, 3-1-31 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo ■Business days: Only during exhibition periods ■Business hours: Weekdays 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM / Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM *May vary depending on the exhibition. ＜YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA＞ ■Address: 4F Stage 1 Nishidori, 2-1-4 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture ■Business hours: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM ■Closed: Every Tuesday *The museum may be closed temporarily due to exhibit changes. Please check the official website and official social media accounts. ■Official website: https://yugen-gallery.com/ ■Official SNS: X:
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https://www.facebook.com/yugengallery.jp/ About Gene Co., Ltd.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/74187/496/74187-496-bd05fa8cb5a5a0118f90a00628d9418d-1280×670.png In addition to our Digital Marketing Business, which provides consulting services utilizing internet advertising, we also operate our Art & Media Business and Lifestyle Business. ‧Various research including market research and competitive analysis ‧Internet advertising management (search, SNS, video, etc.) ‧SEO strategies, affiliate strategies ‧Creative production, system development ‧Various consulting services ‧ASP service “Kachi Kachi” https://katikati.jp/ ・Contemporary Art Gallery “YUGEN Gallery”
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