Yasutaka Seki
Born in 1973 in Kumamoto, Japan. Based in Japan.
Yasutaka Seki is a photographer whose work explores the relationship between people and the land, recovery from disaster, and perspectives on life and death. The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake marked a turning point in his practice, prompting him to return to his hometown and fully commit to his artistic career. Since then, he has continued to examine themes of loss and regeneration through long-term projects rooted in his native region.
In 2017, following his departure from Okinawa, he presented the solo exhibition Nostalgie, documenting his personal connections to the place. In 2020, he released Just Sing, a project portraying musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. His ongoing long-term project Ashita Mu ni Kaeru (Returning to Nothingness Tomorrow) reflects on where we ultimately belong amid constant change. In 2025, he presented this body of work in a solo exhibition at KG+, the satellite event of KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival.
In the same year, he received the Global Grant Award (Grand Prize) at the GFX Challenge Grant Program 2025.
Through photography, Seki continues to question how human beings retain the strength to recover and where they seek belonging in an ever-shifting world.
関 康隆
1973年熊本県生まれ。日本を拠点に活動する写真家。
2016年の熊本地震を契機に作家としての活動を本格化。震災後に故郷・熊本へ戻り、「人間と土地の関わり」を主題に、喪失と再生、災害からの回復、そして死生観を軸とした作品制作を続けている。
2017年、沖縄からの離別を機に自身の関わりを記録した個展『Nostalgie』を発表。2020年には、コロナ禍におけるミュージシャンの姿を追った『Just sing』を発表。長期プロジェクト『あした無にかえる』では、変化の中で人はどこへ帰属していくのかを問い続け、2025年にKYOTOGRAPHIE京都国際写真祭サテライトイベント「KG＋」にて5年ぶりの個展を開催。
同年、「GFX Challenge Grant Program 2025」においてGlobal Grant Award（大賞）を受賞。
写真表現を通して、揺らぎ続ける時代の中でなお人間が持つ回復の力と、土地との関係性を見つめている。
