Biography
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Born in Tokyo in 1968, Kenji Aoki spent his formative years training for and his adult life creating: the planning, production, and shooting of still-life photography. Upon graduating from Kuwasawa Design School in 1990, Kenji immediately worked at Iugura Studio and two years later held his first personal exhibition “Sonzai-No Kakera: India” (translation- “Fragment of Being: India”) at Crey Gallery in Ginza. In 1993 he formally established “Kenji Aoki Photography” and in 1996 served as Photo Director of SevenSeas (a membership magazine).

Kenji rounded out the decade post-graduation with extensive shoots for commercial advertising, commencing in 1999. Four years later he published his own photography book entitled Agito, produced by Balls Corporation. After the publication of his book Aoki served three years as a main photographer for the print advertisements of “Sharp Aquos” and in 2005 he participated in “The 11th Design Exhibition” by Shisedo, producing a variety of images under the theme “Life Link.”

Kenji’s foremost inspiration is a rare mix of provocativeness and poise, citing the late Richard Avedon and the soothing equilibrium of blues singer Miles Davis as his greatest inspirations. This amalgam of balance and intrigue manifests in Aoki’s photos which elegantly depict boldness within balance.

Links www.aokiphoto.com, www.michaelashpartners.com
Photography Courtesy Kenji Aoki Acknowledgment Kenji Aoki, Michael Ash & Elizabeth Osieja at Michael Ash Partners