Takaaki Sano
A photographer from Adachi-ku, Tokyo.
At the age of 13, he stopped going to school and spent about seven years as a shut-in. At the age of 16, he was forced to be hospitalized in a closed ward, where he lost consciousness due to the side effects of medication (he continues to take photographs to this day in order to embody the scenery he saw in the gaps in his consciousness at that time). After being released from the hospital, he was taught by manga artist Shinichi Ishizuka (masterpieces: "Gaku" and "BLUE GIANT"), and went on to study at a university in the United States, where he graduated. In 2014, he secretly uploaded photos of sunsets he had taken when waking up during his shut-in period to Tumblr, and one of these photos caught the eye of London-based singer-songwriter Grimm Grimm, who used it as the album cover. In 2015, while working as a science instructor at the Shanghai Japanese School, his photographs caught the eye of C.C., the owner of the gallery 'DA ATTIC', and in December of the same year, he held a one-month solo exhibition, "Takaaki Sano Photography Exhibition: Light." He attracted attention mainly from young people living in Shanghai, and his self-published photo book "Hikari" sold out. In the same month, he was asked to exhibit his work at an event hosted by DJ Kaoru Inoue (a.k.a. Chari Chari) at the Hangzhou Liyi Youth Hostel, and has been exhibiting his work to entertain guests ever since. After returning to Japan in 2016, he holds a photo exhibition every year while working as a junior high and high school English teacher mainly in Tokyo. In September 2017, he held a photo exhibition that lyrically expressed his life, covering about 30 meters under the elevated tracks at Kita-Senju Station in his hometown. In 2021, he won the Amana IMA Next "MEMORIES" Award (selected by Tim Barber). In December 2023, he held a two-person exhibition with photographer Ikushun titled "Imozuru-shiki" at JOINT Harajuku, where he invited Grimm Grimm as a guest artist and skillfully used experimental music and the two photographers to embody his life's work, his experience in a psychiatric ward, "Life is connected." He self-published three photo books, "Hikari" in 2015, "Consciousness" in 2018 and "Hidden Place" in 2024.
Born: 1982, Tokyo, Japan
Education:
Passed the University Entrance Qualification Exam in 2002
Graduated from Santa Monica College with a degree in Liberal Arts in 2006
Obtained TOEIC score of 945 in 2007
Acquired a secondary school teaching license in English in 2014
Teaching Career:
2015: Science teacher at Shanghai Japanese School (Hongqiao campus)
2016: English teacher at a special needs school
2017: English teacher at Soka High School
2021: English teacher at Hiroo Gakuen Koishikawa Junior and Senior High School
Art Exhibitions:
Solo Exhibitions:
2015: “Takaaki Sano Photography Exhibit ‘Light’” at Attic Shanghai, China
2016: “When the Sun Goes Down…” at FAITH, Koenji, Tokyo
2019: “TAKAAKI SANO Photography” at Senju Mural Path Gallery, Tokyo
2024: "Hidden" at Liike, Daikanyama, Tokyo
Group Exhibitions:
2015: “KAKOUSHI Independent presents Earth Beats” at Reyi Hostel, Hangzhou, China
2020: “Takaaki Sano & hachi (八月ちゃん) Joint Exhibit” at JOINT Harajuku, Tokyo
2021: "Tengoku Caravan × Takaaki Sano Photography 'Zenkoteisai'" at Petit Paris, Tokyo
Live Shows / Exhibitions:
2016: “GRIMM GRIMM + When the Sun Goes Down...” at FAITH, Koenji, Tokyo
2018: “GRIMM GRIMM Live + Takaaki Sano Photography” at JOINT Harajuku, Tokyo
2023: “GRIMM GRIMM Live × Takaaki Sano + Ikushun Photo Exhibit 'Imozurushiki'” at JOINT Harajuku, Tokyo
Media Appearances:
2015: Featured on NHK’s "Hirumae Hotto"
2017: Interview for NeoL Magazine with Jayda B from Bae Tokyo
2019: Featured on J:COM "Daily News Adachi/Katsushika"
2021: Featured on J:COM "Tsunagaru News"
2024: Featured in Born Digital/Colors "Professional Photographer FILE 2025"
Artworks:
2015: Grimm Grimm's "Hazy Eyes Maybe"
2018: Grimm Grimm's "Cliffhanger"
//////////////////////////////////////////////
佐野 貴明
東京都足立区出身の写真家。
13歳で不登校になり、約7年間の引きこもり生活を送る。16歳で閉鎖病棟に強制入院となり、薬の副作用が原因で意識不明の重体になる（この時、意識の狭間で見えた風景を具現化する為に、現在も写真を撮り続けている）。退院後、漫画家となる石塚真一（代表作：『岳』『BLUE GIANT』）より勉学の教授を受け、米国の大学へと進学、卒業。2014年、引きこもり時代の寝起きに撮りためた夕日の写真を、人知れずTumblr上にアップロードをし、その中の一枚が、ロンドン在住のシンガーソングライター・Grimm Grimmの目にとまり、アルバムジャケットとして採用される。 2015年、上海日本人学校の理科専科講師として赴任中に、自身の写真作品がギャラリー’DA ATTIC’のオーナー・C.C.の目にとまり、同年12月に1か月間の個展『佐野貴明写真展・光』を開催する。主に上海に住む若者からの注目を集め、自費出版写真集『ひかり』を完売させる。同月、杭州Liyi Youth Hostelにて開催されたDJ Kaoru Inoue (a.k.a. Chari Chari) のイベントにて、作品の展示を依頼され、それ以来、現在に至るまで宿泊客を楽しませる展示を続けている。2016年に帰国後、都内を中心に中高英語講師として教鞭をとる傍ら、毎年写真展を開催する。2017年9月、故郷の北千住駅高架下の約30メートルにわたり、自身の人生を抒情詩的に表現をする写真展を開催した。2021年、アマナ主催 IMAnext『MEMORIES』入賞（ティム・バーバー選）。2023年12月、JOINT Harajuku にて開催された写真家いくしゅんとの二人展『芋づる式』では、ゲストに Grimm Grimm を迎え、自身のライフワークである精神病棟での体験「生命は繋がっている」を、実験的な音楽と二人の写真を巧みに用い具現化した。写真集2015年『ひかり』、2018年『意識』、2024年『Hidden Place』それぞれ自費出版。
2021 IMA next ショートリスト入選（ティム・バーバー選）。
1982 東京都生まれ
2002 大学入学資格検定 合格
2006 Santa Monica College Liberal Arts 卒業
2007 TOEIC 945点 取得
2014 中高一種教員免許状 英語科 取得
2015 上海日本人学校虹橋校小学部 理科専科講師
2016 特別支援学校中学部 英語科講師
2017 創価高等学校 英語科講師
2021 広尾学園小石川中学校高等学校 英語科講師
個展
2015 「佐野贵明摄影展《光》」Attic Shanghai、上海・中国
2016 “When the Sun Goes down..” FAITH高円寺、東京
2019 “TAKAAKI SANO Photography” 千住壁画の道ギャラリー、東京
グループ展
2015 “KAKOUSHI Independant presents Earth Beats” Reyi Hostel、杭州・中国
2020 Takaaki Sano & hachi（八月ちゃん）『写真と絵』 JOINT Harajuku、東京
2021 天国キャラバン×Takaaki Sano Photography『全肯定祭』プチパリ、東京
ライヴ/個展
2016 “GRIMM GRIMM ＋ When the Sun Goes down..” FAITH高円寺、東京
2018 “GRIMM GRIMM live ＋ TAKAAKI SANO Photography” JOINT Harajuku、東京
2023 “GRIMM GRIMM live × Takaaki Sano＋いくしゅん写真展『芋づる式』”JOINT Harajuku、東京
メディア
2015 NHK総合『ひるまえほっと』
2017 NeoL Magazine “Interview with Jayda B from Bae Tokyo”
2021 J:COM 『つながるNews』
2024 （株）ボーンデジタル/カラーズ『プロカメラマンFILE 2025』
アートワーク
