3rd Photo Exhibition for Better Series “Creating a better world through photography”

"Photo Exhibition for Better" is a series of photo exhibitions that use the power of photography to "provide a catalyst for making a positive impact on the global environment and society." Rather than being limited to a specific theme, Gallery Toyo will take up domestic and international social issues that it believes are important at any given time. During the series, all works on display will be sold and a portion of the proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to activities related to the issue (details of the donation recipients can be viewed on-site). This exhibition aims to raise awareness of "making the world a better place through the power of photography" among a wider range of people, to think together about what we can do, and to support social issues by purchasing works.

In addition to the usual exhibits, this group exhibition has been divided into three categories: "How to Make the World a Better Place with the Power of Photography." The three categories are theme-based (the theme of the work itself deals with a social issue), project-based (the artist is working on a project related to a social issue), and material-based (the work itself is created using materials and methods that are good for the global environment), and works from each category will be exhibited.

[Photo Exhibition for Better Series example]
1st: July 2024 Tatsuto Wataya Photo Exhibition "What We Can Do" @ Gallery Tosei 2nd: January 2025 KG+ Discovery Award 2024 Winner Photo Exhibition "JUHEISEN - With Love from the Central African Republic" @ Fujifilm Photo Salon Tokyo and February Aoki Hiroshi Photo Exhibition "Bricolage" @ Gallery Tosei

Exhibiting Artists

◾Patrick Taberna

Born in 1964, he developed his interest in photography through numerous travel experiences throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Since establishing his base in Paris in 1987, he has been a member of the photography collective Club des 30x40. In 1997, in order to hone his sense of travel and photography, he organized a "postal photo exhibition" called "Western Voyage," in which he mailed 37 photos to 10 people, one per week, over the course of a year. He chose great photographers whom he greatly admired, such as Bernard Plosse and Robert Frank, as the recipients of the photos for this exhibition, which later gave him the opportunity to meet them and gain their recognition. He has participated in numerous solo exhibitions and special exhibitions, and exhibited at Paris Photo in 2006, 2007, and 2011. He has received high praise both in Japan and abroad.
https://www.patricktaverna.com/

Awards
FNAC (“Nord magnétique” series, 2000)
FNAC Paris Award (for the “Nos Italies” series, 2001) HSBC Foundation for Photography (2004)
CCF Foundation Photography Award (2004)

◾Jung A Kim

Born in Incheon in 1978, she lives and works in Berlin and Seoul. She studied at the Berlin University of Arts and Design (BTK) in 2013 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Photography from Chung-Ang University, Seoul in 2014. She was an artist-in-residence at the Cultural Affairs in Tampere, Finland (2014) and at Studio Vortex by Antoine d'Agata in Arles, France (2015). She won the First Prize at the 6th European Photography Month Portfolio Review in Berlin (2014) and was selected as one of 50 emerging photographers by the Musée de l'Elysée in Switzerland (3rd edition of the project - reGeneration3, 2015). Her most recent book, Reminiscence. A Walk through the Other Side of my Mind, was published by Köhler (Germany). Her work has been shown internationally in group and solo exhibitions in Germany, Finland, and Switzerland. In 2017, he also exhibited at Houston PhotoFest as one of the emerging artists in INTERNATIONAL DISCOV ERY VI.

Awards
2017.1 INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY VI's emerging artist, Houston Fo

Tofest, USA
2016.10 Portfolio Review "Encounter'16" Award, Daegu Photo Biennale, Korea 2015.10 IPA2015 Fine Art Category Selection (Portrait)
2015.5 reGeneration3, 50 Photographers of Tomorrow, Elysee Museum, Switzerland 2014.11 6th European Photography Month (MdF Berlin) Best Portfolio Review Award, Germany

http://www.jungakim.com/

◾Kentaro Kumon

Born in 1981. Works widely in magazines, books and advertisements, focusing on reportage and portraits. At the same time, produces works both in Japan and abroad on the theme of "Landscapes created by human activities". In recent years, he has released works such as "The Cultivator", which photographs agricultural landscapes throughout Japan, "Calendar River", which considers the connection between rivers and people, and "Terrain of Light", which traveled around the peninsula and photographed the Japanese climate and lifestyle. His latest work, "Sleeping Island", is a photo book about the depopulation occurring on the islands of Seto, and was published by Kehrer in Germany.

Awards
In 2012, he won the Newcomer Award from the Photographic Society of Japan for “Sesame Clothing Store,” and in 2023 he will receive the Photographer Award. http://www.k-kumon.net

◾Kostas Maros

He studied law at the University of Basel in Switzerland and worked as a lawyer for several years. He then became a self-taught photographer in 2013. Since then, he has worked on press, corporate and advertising photography both in Switzerland and around the world. In parallel with his commercial photography, he also works on his own art projects.

Awards
IPFO Swiss Photo Award 2024
2021 Prix de la Photographie (Paris Photography Award)
2016 VFG Young Talent Awards
2015 Swiss Press Award (for the Cabaret Bizarre series) and many others

https://kostasmaros.com/de/works

◾Mitsuru Kano

Born in Okayama City in 1961. Studied under Masahiko Amaaki and Seiji Okumiya. Established Mitsuru Kano Photography Office in 1985, and has since worked mainly in advertising photography.

◾Takeya Izuru

Born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1967, he began taking photographs after traveling to Africa for a year in 1989. He has since lived in Kyoto and Nagoya, traveled around Japan, China, and Korea, and has recently been producing and exhibiting works using classical photographic techniques.

http://www.takefoto.info/