Otsuka Gen

The photography of Gen Otsuka (1912–1992) revolved around modernism and journalism. In 1933, he published work in Koga, a magazine synonymous with Modern Photography in Japan. The following year, he began his career as a reporter and photographer for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and spent the war traveling to countries such as Thailand, Singapore, and China. In the 1950s, Otsuka became part of the Japanese Subjective Photography movement, exploring new forms of expression through long exposures and montages. At the same time, he continued to work as a journalist, exploring the social realities of Japan. His varied style and approach make him a unique and difficult to categorize figure in the history of Japanese photography. Since 1963, he has held numerous key positions in the All-Japan Association of Photographic Societies (AJAPS), further contributing to the development of photography in Japan.

*This text was contributed by Mitsuhiro Wakayama.
Unauthorized reproduction or quotation is strictly prohibited. Copyright belongs to the author and this website.