Sako Koichi

Koichi Sako (1918–2010) is one of the leading figures of Subjective Photography in Japan. He took up photography to visualize his poetry, but soon moved toward abstract expressions, exploring the unique characteristics of the medium. After his work was featured in the Asahi Camera Yearbook in 1952, Sako began submitting his work to photography magazines on a regular basis. In 1954, his work was included in the Subjective Photography 2 exhibition in Germany. In the same year, he was selected for the Nikakai Association of Photographers, where he continued to exhibit his work until 1972. In 1956, he co-founded the Japan Subjectivist Photography League with Shuzo Takiguchi and others. Sako was also a member of the avant-garde group VOU, led by poet and photographer Katsue Kitasono, and began publishing photographs in their magazine VOU in 1958. He also organized the photo exhibition VOU Keisho ("Shape of VOU") with Kitasono, Kansuke Yamamoto, and other artists who bridged poetry and photography.

*This text was contributed by Mitsuhiro Wakayama.
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