Yumiko Chiba Associates is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Ari Saarto from March 14, 2015.

Ari Saarto, born 1961 in Finland, has many exhibitions mainly in Europe as a member of the photographer group, Helsinki School, consisting of lecturers, students and graduates of the University of Art And Design. Mr. Saarto is one of the leading photographers presently based in Helsinki.

Saarto’s works, which were taken in homeless people’s residence and the scene of a murder, remind you, at first sight, of a documentary photograph which is characteristic of journalism. However, his theme is something else as shown in his way of applying a traditional landscape technique in his images in which unreality is depicted.

Saarto mentioned, “I am interested in the historical layers of landscape and particularly in the values associated with landscape and space. A picture of space can also be seen as a picture of human psyche”. When looking at the images he depicts, the viewer perceives some signs and recognizes that they indicate an absence of somebody/something which previously had existed. The images can lead you to think of not just the present time but a transcendental viewpoint made with the accumulation of memories and time.

Saarto, being aware of superficial characteristics of photographs/projection which tend to be deceptive in record of happenings, is yet attempting to extract “past – present – reality in the future” in his works with an air oftension. He will show us a new recognition of perception.

This is Saarto’s solo show in Japan after an interval of 10 years.