Takeshi Shikama

Introduction to Takeshi Shikama

 

Takeshi Shikama transitioned from design to photography in 2002. Working primarily with a large-format camera, he ventures deep into forests, seeking to capture the invisible world concealed within visible natural landscapes. In 2007, he presented his first body of work under the title Silent Respiration of Forests, marking the beginning of a creative pursuit that has continued as the core of his practice ever since.

 

Shikama is attentive to fleeting states in nature. Through withered plants, trickling streams, and the shadows of branches, he contemplates the emergence and disappearance of life. Using a Hasselblad camera, he developed series such as Waning—Evanescence: Forests, Fields, Lotus, Gardens, and Landscapes. As his perception deepened, his photographic sites expanded from Japan to the United States and Europe, giving rise to series including Yosemite, Pacific Northwest, and Urban Forest, which focuses on city parks.

 

In recent years, his work has further integrated experiences of travel and contemplation. The Sacred Places—Meditation series spans Europe, Japan, and the United Kingdom, recording once-in-a-lifetime encounters, while Memory Garden—Animals, Plants, Seeds reflects on time, memory, and preservation through specimens and greenhouse plants. Shikama’s works have been widely exhibited internationally and are held in major public and private collections.

1948 Born in Tokyo, Japan

 

Solo Exhibitions

2019 Takeshi Shikama Solo Exhibition, Palais Royal, Hong Kong

2019 Takeshi Shikama Solo Exhibition, Idumi Art Gallery, Nagoya Japan

2019 Contemplation, Takashimaya GalleryX, Tokyo, Japan

2018 Silent Respiration of Forests, Daguan Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2018 Timeless, The Shed, London, United Kingdom 2015 Garden of Memory, Deyrolle, Paris, France

2015 Timeless, Incantations, Genova, Italy

2015 Contemplation & Garden of Memory, LUNN ”POP UP GALERIE, Paris, France

2014 Los Murmullos Del Bosque, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, A Coruña, Spain

2014 Rustling of the Forest, Wave gallery, Brescia, Italy

2014 Silent Respiration of Forests, Centro de Fotografia Contemporánea de Bilbao, Spain

2013 Listen to the Forest, Nakacyo Konishi, Tokyo, Japan

2013 Los Murmullos Del Bosque, Exhibition Room Gas Natural Fenosa, Barcelona, Spain

2013 Timeless, RB Contemporary, Milan, Italy

2013 An t-Eilean(Island), Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK

2013 Respiration Silencieuses Des Forests, Photo Vivienne, Paris, France

2012 Takeshi Shikama: America, Catherine Couturier Gallery, Houston, U.S.A.

2012 Hokkaido & Recent work, Alan Klotz Gallery, New York, U.S.A.

2012 Silent Respiration of Forests-Yosemite,Niiyama’s Gallery, Tokyo Japan

2012 Miniature Garden of Time, LIBRAIRIE 6, Tokyo Japan

2011 Silent Respiration of Forests, Alan Klotz Gallery, New York, U.S.A.

2011 Evanescence vol.2. , Takikando, Tokyo, JapanSilent Respiration of Forests, Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, U.S.A.

2011 Silent Respiration of Forests, Wall Space Gallery, Santa Barbara, U.S.A.

2010 Silent Respiration of Forests, John Cleary Gallery, Houston, U.S.A.

2010 Silent Respiration of Forests, Corden|Potts Gallery, San Francisco, U.S.A.

2010 Evanescence, Takikando, Tokyo, Japan

2009 Takeshi Shikama Solo Exhibition,Johaness Larsen Museet, Kerteminde, Denmark

2008 Garden in the Forest, galerie non, Tokyo, Japan

2007 Mori no Hida-Silent Respiration of Forests, Nikon Salon- Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

2006 Mori no Hida-Silent Respiration of Forests, Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2005 Garden in the Forest vol.2, Gallery So, Tokyo, Japan

2005 Miniature Garden of Time, Gallery Shinkokyu, Kobuchizawa, Japan

2004 Garden in the Forest, Gallery So, Tokyo, Japan

 

Group exhibitions and Artfairs

2020 Large Format, Small Space: Guest Curated By Boogie Woogie Photography, Pékin Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2020 Land of Solitude – Summer Exhibition, Daguan Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2020 Haute Photographie, Rotteldam, The Netherlands

2019 Paris Photo, Paris, France

2019 Fine Art Asia, Hong kong

2019 PhotoLA, California, USA

2018 The Hive Spring, Hong Kong

2018 Fine Art Asia, Hong kong

2018 Art Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan

2017 Ink Asia, Hong Kong

2017 Fine Art Asia, Hong kong

2017 London Photograph Fair, London, UK

2017 Cherry Blossoms in Monochrome,Ricoh imaging Square Ginza A.W.P. Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2017 Haute Photographie, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

2017 The Aipad Photography show, New York, U.S.A.

2016 Beauty and the Beast; Animals in Photography,Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego, U.S.A.

2016 The Aipad Photography show, New York, U.S.A.

2015 De la Terre a l’Espace, L’Atelier d’Artiste, Paris, France

2015 amanasalto presents: Pop-Up Laboratory and Great Platinum Printings, Artcurial, Paris, France

2015 Unseen Photo Fair, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

2015 PLATINUM, A. GALERIE, Brussels, Belgium

2015 PLATINUM, A. GALERIE, Paris, France

2015 MIA Milan Image Art Fair, Milano, Italy

2015 The Aipad Photography show, New York, U.S.A.

2015 Noir et Blanc, Abancio Art & Lab Studio, Geneva, Switzerland

2015 Classic Photographs, Los Angeles, U.S.A.

2014 Figments of Reality, Verve gallery of Photography, Santa Fe, U.S.A.

2014 Ankoku/ Matières Noires (Datk Matters), DA-END, Paris, France

2014 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2014 After Ansel Adams, Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, U.S.A.

2014 MIA Milan Image Art Fair, Milano, Italy

2014 The Aipad Photography show, New York, U.S.A.

2014 Art Fair Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

2014 ARTEFIERA, Bologna, Italy

2014 Classic Photographs, Los Angeles, U.S.A.

2013 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2013 The DC Fine Art Photography fair, Washington DC, U.S.A.

2013 Creating New Value with Tosa Washi Platinum & Alternative photo processes,

2013 Japanese paper Museum Ino Town, Kochi, Japan

2013 Tokyo Photo

2013, Tokyo Japan

2013 Voyage, Kahamann Gallery, Amserdam, The Netherlands

2013 Figure Studied, Verve Gallery, Santa Fe, U.S.A.

2013 Thoughts of the Forests, Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts, Yamanashi, Japan

2013 Paris Photo LA, Los Angeles, U.S.A.

2013 The AIPAD Photography Show, New York, U.S.A.

2013 The Collector’s Eye, The Collection of Fraizer King, Foto Fest, Houston, U.S.A.

2013 The Noorderlicht Photofestival, The Netherlands

2012 Americana, Box Gallery , Bruxelles , Belgium

2012 Corden Potts Gallery, San Francisco, U.S.A.

2012 Tokyo Photo

2012, Tokyo, Japan

2012 Soapbox!:The Audience Speaks,Museum of Photographic Arts,San Diego, U.S.A.

2012 The AIPAD Photography Show New York, U.S.A.

2012 Foto Fest Fine print Auction Exhibition, Houston, U.S.A.

2011 Milieu des Arbres / Among the Trees, Paris, France

2011 Box Gallery , Bruxelles , Belgium

2011 Corden|Potts Gallery, San Francisco, U.S.A.

2011 John Cleary Gallery, Houston, U.S.A.

2011 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2011 The AIPAD Photography Show New York, U.S.A.

2010 Tokyo Photo

2010, Tokyo, Japan

2010 photographers : network Selection

2010, Siegen, Germany

2010 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2009 Fotofest International Discoveries II, Houston, U.S.A.

2009 Tokyo Photo 2009, Tokyo, Japan 2009 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2008 TEPPER TAKAYAMA Fine Arts, Boston, .U.S.A .

2008 Gallery EM, Tokyo, Japan

2008 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2008 32nd Japan Professional Photographers Society Awards, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, Japan

2008 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

2008 Gallery COSMOS, Tokyo, Japan

 

Publication

2020 Shape of Water, The Real Photo Book #7, Y -publisher, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2020 KATALOG- JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO Issue 31.1, Denmark

2019 WERKDRUCK No.48 (limitted edition book), Edition Vivais, Berlin, German

2019 立場新聞 PhotogStory, Hong Kong 2019 Cyunichi Shinbun, Japan

2018 Mori no Hida, Daguan Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2015 Zoom,#214 italian ed. – #116 international ed. , Italy

2014 Haiku Kai, February issue

2014, Japan 2014 Affaritaliani.it, Italy

2013 Creating New Value with Tosa Washi Contra La Vanguardia, Spain

2013 Diari Ara, Spain

2013 El Periódico Dominical, Spain

2013 Platinum & Alternative Photo Processes, P.P.R.P.,Kochi,JapanEldiario.e, Spain

2013 Para todos La 2 – La 2, Spain

2013 The Independent, UK

2013 Libération, France

2013 Black and White Magazie, Milan, Italy

2013 Photography Now

2013 Le Journal de la Photographie

2013 Zoom magazine #109, Special issue LANDSCAPE, winter

2013, Milan,Italy

2012 UYW, an online photography journal issue 23

2012 Fraction Magazine Japan Issue 3 January 2012

2011 The New Yorker, April 25.2011,USA

2011 The Wall Street Journal, April 9. 2011,USA

2011 KAZE NO TABIBITO Vol.43, Japan. Photograph and text published, Japan

2011 Haiku Kai, February issue

2011, Japan Photograph published,Japan

2010 KAZE NO TABIBITO Vol.41, Japan. Photograph and text published, Japan

2010 EXIT issue 38,Spain, Photograph published, Spain

2009 KATALOG- JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO Issue 21.3, Denmark

2009 Photo collection “Mori no Hida-Silent Respiration of Forests”, TOSEI-SHA Asahi Camera, July

2007 issue, Japan, Photograph published

2007 Yama to Keikoku , August

2007 issue, Japan Publishing Co., Ltd, Japan

2005 JAPAN NOW, 2005 issue, National Tourist Organization publication, Japan

 

 

Publication

Bibliotheque Nationale de France (Paris, France)

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, (California, United States)

Hermes International (Paris, France)

Museet for Fotokunst Brandts (Odense, Denmark)

Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego (California, United States)

Davison Art Center, Wesleyan University (Conneticut, United States)

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Texas, United States)

Portland Art Museum (Oregon, United States)

Santa Barbara Museum of Fine Art (California, United States)

Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts (Yamanashi Japan

Oak #1
Platinum Palladium Print
on Japanese Gampi paper
335 x 345 x 10 mm in pairs, 2016
NTD$210,000

Inquire

Silent Respiration of Forests – Hokkaido: Shimamaki
Platinum Palladium Print
on Japanese Gampi paper
263 x 342 mm, 2011
NTD$131,200

Inquire

Silent Respiration of Forests – Japan:Masutomi Valley #46
Platinum Palladium Print
on Japanese Gampi paper
263 x 342 mm, 2014
NTD$112,000

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