Yutaka Takanashi

Born 1935 in Shirogane-cho, Ushigome-ku (today Shinjuku, Tokyo). Study of photography at Nihon University. First works published in Sankei Camera. Darkroom assistant of the photographer Osamu Yagi. 1959-61 Kuwasa Design School. Professional photographer at Nippon Design Center, various awards for his advertising work. Meanwhile personal, non-commercial projects.
1968 founding of the photo magazine Provoke along with Takuma Nakahira, Takahiko Okada, Koji Taki. 1974 first book Toshi-e (Towards the City) which is regarded as a masterpiece of the Provoke era. Working both in black and white and color, his fascination with the spaces and people in urban environments continues in later books like Machi, Tokyo-jin 1978-1983 or Miyako no Kao. 1980 assistant professor, 1982-2000 professor at Tokyo Zokei University of Art and Design. Recipient of many awards including the Japan Photo Critics Association Award for „New Comer“ in 1964, the Grand Prix Youth Biennale in Paris 1967, 1984 and 1993 „Award of the Year“ of the Photographic Society of Japan. He lives and works in Tokyo.