Noted Photographer Michael K. Yamaoka Presents "One World" -- A Celebration of Harmony and Beauty at the United Nations

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- These iconic highlights from over 50 years of Michael K. Yamaoka's photography evoke a pervading and haunting sense of timelessness and harmony. Selected for "One World," his latest solo exhibition taking place at the United Nations through November 30, the images reflect the solace he finds in unconventional beauty, yet are at the same time a documentary of his extensive journeys worldwide.

The photographs with their overtones of contemplative stillness have been curated from Mr. Yamaoka's travels in Japan, China, Russia, Norway, the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, the British Isles, Egypt, Greece, and locations across the United States. Mr. Yamaoka invites us to savor the visual splendor of some of his favorite themes of rooftops, reflections, the dignity of ruins, and the drama of the sky, fixing forever moments of evanescent beauty.

Born in Japan, Mr. Yamaoka studied at Waseda University in Tokyo and graduated with a degree in photography from The Art Center College of Design in California. He began his career in commercial photography at BBD&O in New York before opening his own studio, where his clients included AT&T, Toshiba, General Electric, PepsiCo, Time-Life, and others of the Fortune 500 list. Simultaneously, he built a body of personal work, in images of day-to-day encounters outside the studio.

After the death of his son in 1997, Mr. Yamaoka concentrated solely on his personal photography, publishing a book, Odyssey, A 35 Year Photographic Journey, and establishing a scholarship in his son's memory. Shooting extensively worldwide, he continues to explore the themes of solitude, stillness, and singularities, choosing details that often emphasize the passage of time.

Mr. Yamaoka has exhibited in critically acclaimed solo shows at the New Art Center and the Atlantic Gallery in New York, and is a member of the Salmagundi Club in New York, where he currently exhibits. He was invited to mount solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nuremberg, in many cities in Bavaria, Germany, and at the German Consulate in New York. Mr. Yamaoka's work is included in private and corporate collections worldwide, and in 2008 he was honored when I.M. Pei requested a print for his personal collection.

Says Mr. Yamaoka: "These images are largely a tribute to the spirit and memory of our son, Kenneth Kagetaka, who passed away while working to save injured raptors, as a student at Yale University. The inspiration of my son, and the sincere support of my many friends and family, have sustained me over the years in my efforts to capture the beauty of our precious world.  I am so honored to be able to exhibit an important part of my life's work here at the UN, the crossroads of the world. I've been extremely blessed to be able to visit many of the countries of our beautiful earth, and I hope these images convey the reverence I have for our home, our 'One World'."

The exhibition takes place in the lobby of the Albano Building, 305 East 46th Street, New York, NY • November 1-30, 2017
Admission is by appointment only:  e-mail [email protected]
Opening Reception: Wednesday, November 1, 6-8 PM • by invitation only
For more information about the artist, please visit: www.mkyphoto.com  

Contact:
Janet Doyle   
203-329-8310   
[email protected]

SOURCE Michael K. Yamaoka

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http://www.mkyphoto.com