Kei Ito

 is a Japanese photographer and installation artist currently based in the United States. He is most known for his "Sungazing" and "Afterimage Requiem" series.
Themes and inspiration.
Ito's work addresses issues of generational connection and deep loss as he explores the materiality of photography as a medium. His current work deals with the tragedy and legacy passed on from his grandfather who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, yet died from cancer and the threat of nuclear disaster which is still present today.
His recent works express a strong connection between the sun and his family history regarding the idea of invisibility in light and shadow, and how the unique characteristic of photography as a media has allowed him to express this matter.
"Sungazing" series.
On August 6th, 1945, at 8:15 AM, Kei Ito's grandfather, , witnessed a great tragedy that destroyed nearly everything in Hiroshima. He survived the bombing, yet he lost his family members from the explosion and radiation poisoning. As an activist and author, Ito's grandfather fought against the use of nuclear weaponry throughout his life, until he too passed away from cancer when Kei Ito was ten years old. Ito remembers his grandfather saying that day in Hiroshima was like hundreds of suns lighting up the sky.
In order to express the connection between the sun and his family's history, Ito has created 108 letter size prints and a 200-foot long scroll, which were made by exposing Type-C photographic paper to sunlight. The pattern on the scroll corresponds to his breath. In a darkened room, Ito pulled the paper in front of a small aperture to expose it to the direct sunlight while inhaling and paused when exhaling. He repeated this action until he breathed one hundred and eight times. One hundred eight is a number with ritual significance in Japanese Buddhism and culture, called Joya no Kane. It's an event where all of the Buddhist temples in the country strike human size or larger bells one hundred and eight times from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day. The number corresponds to the number of evil desires that we suffer from on earth, which is believed to cause war. This rids us of our evil passions and purifies us for the upcoming year. The ritualistic image making of this repeating act, which corresponds to his breath, has become the act of remembrance.
Exhibitions.
Ito has shown in over 50 exhibitions worldwide. Among those are solo exhibitions at prominent spaces such as Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art Museum, Winston-Salem, NC; Masur Museum of Art, Monroe, LA; IA&A at Hillyer (Hillyer Art Space), DC; and Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH. Group exhibitions of note include: the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL; the Walters Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD; Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago, IL; California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA; and PH21 Gallery in Budapest, Hungary.
2019
2018
2017
Awards.
2019
2018
2017
2016