Katsu Naito & Mayumi Yamase
We are delighted to introduce our latest exhibition, "Katsu Naito & Mayumi Yamase at The Fridge”. We will showcase the stunning black and white photographs from Katsu Naito's 90s Rendezvous series alongside the vibrant and abstract paintings of the talented young artist, Mayumi Yamase. Despite their generational, geographical, and stylistic differences, both artists radiate a profound energy in their artistic output. By combining their remarkable talents and drawing on their differences, we believe this show will evoke a powerful sense of strength and individuality, making their unique voices shine even more.
Japanese photographer and artist Katsu Naito (b.1964 Tokyo, JP) embarked on his photographic journey in his early twenties soon after he moved to New York City.
Driven by the desire to capture emotions on film and paper, Naito began his career by photographing his fellow New Yorkers in the streets during the 1980s and meticulously developing his films in his own lab, ensuring a careful and precise quality to his print. Throughout his career, he has striven to capture or create moments of connection in his work, representing his surrounding environment in an organic and simple manner. Naito views photography as an incredible medium for preserving the emotions and the raw feelings for posterity, imbuing his images with a timeless quality. His photographs of Harlem were published in 2017 in a book titled “Once in Harlem”, while his portraits of Japanese-American female survivors of internment and their descendants were commissioned and published by Vogue US in 2019.
Driven by the desire to capture emotions on film and paper, Naito began his career by photographing his fellow New Yorkers in the streets during the 1980s and meticulously developing his films in his own lab, ensuring a careful and precise quality to his print. Throughout his career, he has striven to capture or create moments of connection in his work, representing his surrounding environment in an organic and simple manner. Naito views photography as an incredible medium for preserving the emotions and the raw feelings for posterity, imbuing his images with a timeless quality. His photographs of Harlem were published in 2017 in a book titled “Once in Harlem”, while his portraits of Japanese-American female survivors of internment and their descendants were commissioned and published by Vogue US in 2019.
The Fridge will be exhibiting some of the never-seen-before Naito’s West Side Rendezvous portraits and environment series that documented Sex Workers in New York’s Meatpacking District in the 1990s.
Mayumi Yamase is a Tokyo-based artist who creates captivating pieces through the skillful use of colors and organic shapes. Her aim is to achieve the ultimate balance in composition through the interplay of sharp and gentle tones, textures, shapes, and the empty space. Her works transport the viewer to harmonious formations featuring components of flora, geometry and abstract anatomy that engage in an infinite visual dialogue.
Mayumi's drawings, paintings, and 3D forms possess a profound sense of strength, suggesting elements of all living things. Her artistic talent has been showcased in London, Singapore, and throughout Japan. She has collaborated with brands such as Comme des Garçons and Nike among others.
Mayumi's drawings, paintings, and 3D forms possess a profound sense of strength, suggesting elements of all living things. Her artistic talent has been showcased in London, Singapore, and throughout Japan. She has collaborated with brands such as Comme des Garçons and Nike among others.