TESS AYANO

 [EAST]

'MIGUSHI'

Tess Ayano is a Japanese-American photographer and director. Now based between New York and Tokyo, Tess spent her childhood in Japan before moving to the United States in her teens.

'MIGUSHI'

GIGI HADID for VOGUE

JAPANESE NEW YORKERS

JAPANESE NEW YORKERS

After attending NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study with a focus on photography, darkroom printing, and the philosophy of aesthetics, Tess worked as an archivist for the LIGHT Gallery in New York. “I still very much draw inspiration from the work of photographers such as Andre Kertesz, Paul Strand, Emmet Gowin, and Alfred Stieglitz.”

JAPANESE NEW YORKERS

JAPANESE NEW YORKERS

THE NEW YORK TIMES, UP NEXT

M+J

Inspired by the transitory nature of life, which she describes as deeply rooted in Japanese culture and philosophy, Tess aims to create intimate vignettes from quiet ordinary moments. 

JAPAN, GION

JAPANESE NEW YORKERS

JAPAN, SUBTLY TRANSPARENT

JAPANESE NEW YORKERS

JAPAN, SAKYOJI

“I find impermanence beautifully melancholic, and photographs let me notice and revisit those moments and stories that pass through our lives. I also find people fascinating and endearing, and I know I’ll never run out of interesting people to photograph.”

JAPANESE NEW YORKERS

LISTENING TO THE SOUND OF THE WAVES

THE NEW YORK TIMES, SENSES

THE NEW YORK TIMES, SENSES

Her subjects appear completely at ease in-front of her lens, a firm nod to Tess’s strength in building trust with those she photographs, and a sentiment celebrated throughout her personal project, Japanese New Yorkers, an ongoing portrait and film series of Japanese and Japanese-Americans living in New York.

THE NEW YORK TIMES, HOW WE GATHER NOW

THE NEW YORK TIMES, HOW WE GATHER NOW

THE NEW YORK TIMES, HOW WE GATHER NOW

THE NEW YORK TIMES, SENSES

THE NEW YORK TIMES, UP NEXT

Tess’s thoughtful and organic approach to image-making has led to collaborations with American Vogue, Vogue Italia , Puss Puss, The New York Time, The Cut, Max Mara and Vespa. 

MAX MARA

JAPAN, HIROSHIMA

THE NEW YORK TIMES,KEEPING LOVE CLOSE

She has held an exhibition “Art in isolation” at Trunk Room 101 Gallery in Tokyo and more recently “Palm* Photo Prize”, 10 14 Gallery in London

 

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