Black and white. High contrast. Heavy grain. When combining all these elements, one photographer comes to mind: Daidō Moriyama. Kanye West has enlisted the legendary Japanese photographer to shoot the cover for his upcoming album Bully, capturing a person grinning at the camera showing off a similar pair of grills that the rapper got commissioned earlier this year.
Ye has been reportedly living in a hotel in Tokyo to record his new album, so getting Moriyama to shoot for him seems like a no brainer. His work is getting a lot of love right now because of Ye, but the photographer has an impressive legacy that spans decades.
The Osaka-raised creative was born in 1938, growing up in the turbulent times of World War II, where he was exposed to the chaos of post-war Japan from an early age. After moving to Tokyo, he would go on to assist photographer Takeji Iwamiya and refine his skills in the medium, establishing himself as one of the promising talents in Japanese photography.
He then went on to work on Provoke in the late 1960s, a publication co-founded by Moriyama himself alongside four other photographers. Provoke examined Japan’s post-war, socio-political situation, challenging traditional aesthetics through a raw, unfiltered style that revolutionised Japanese photography. His famous photo book Bye Bye Photography solidified not only his status as a photographer but also his gritty and, almost, intrusive style that blends the tumultuous Tokyo cityscape with dynamic composition to capture the fleeting moments amongst the chaos.
After decades of work, several awards and exhibitions worldwide – including shooting for a Y-3 campaign in 2023, being awarded the Hasselblad Award for photography (one of the most prestigious awards in photography), and an exhibition at the Photographer’s Gallery in London – Moriyama continues to have an impact on photography as he looks to guide the next generation. We’re just glad Ye’s giving him the recognition he wholeheartedly deserves.
Featured image Ye©
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