Artist Talk - Kevin Miyazaki

Kevin Miyazaki
Photographer
By: Kylee Diedrich

Recently Kevin Miyazaki spoke to students, faculty, and friends of UWM at the Artist Now! lecture series. Miyazaki discussed his fine art and commerce work from his beginnings to his current work.  I found the way he talked about his work to be inspiring.  His vision is extremenly refined and without the drama that young artists grapple with as they are learning.  Miyazaki is a talented photographer, with a lifetime of knowledge in the medium of photography.

The project I was drawn to the most was his project Perimeter.  I found the project particularly interesting because it loosely relates to my own senior thesis project.  He drove the scenic route around Lake Michigan photographing the people along the shores, as well as an image of the lake that day.  His approach is more narrow than my own concept, but I find his work to be one inspiration for where I could take my project in the coming years.  His photographs are beautifully quiet and thought provoking as they take the viewer along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Though Miyazaki's project was the result of a commission, I chose my senior thesis based on the connection I have to the lakes, and what I find so interesting about them.  Miyazaki's project shows the variety and connectedness between the populations and people who live and depend on the fresh water of Lake Michigan.  The images share the variety in the lake, as well as the variety of people who utilize it daily.  I look up to Kevin Miyazaki and use him as inspiration for my future as a graduating senior. 

Artist Talk: Kevin Miyazaki
By Deshawn Brown

Kevin Miyazaki is a local artist/ photographer living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He addresses  issues around Wisconsin; about family, history and both personal and institutional spaces. His photos have been shown at The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and The Rayko Photo Center and in solo exhibitions. Kevin is an adjunct faculty member at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design and was an artist in residence at the Center for Photography at Woodstock in 2015. I really enjoyed the portraits of the people that Kevin came across. He captured these people as who they are. By removing the background, the artist focused dead on all the attributes that describes each person: their hair, body size, clothing, posture, etc. The photos of the Great Lakes where he found his subjects were far less interesting to me.

Kevin Miyazaki

Kevin Miyazaki

By Mandy Litwin

Kevin Miyazaki began his talk by mostly showing us a huge range of the work he has done in a more commercial setting. His craft and technique with his photography is very admirable. With every photo of his you see, there is an obvious sense of care. This includes his attention to lighting and composition, no matter the subject matter. During his talk, the audience learned about his experience with shooting all over the world, and for many different occasions and events.

The way he talks about his work also feels very confident. He knows what he is doing – and he does it. This is not only applicable in his commercial photography. As an artist, Kevin has a pretty clear mindset. A lot of his work is influenced by his family’s histories. His Guide to Modern Camp Homes project was very interesting. I like that he, in a sense, remixed a past real-life template to portray his concept. The presentation is unique and informs people on an important piece of history.

As someone who enjoys portraiture, his Perimeter series sat well with me. Though it is simple, I enjoy the idea of documenting people relatively casually. The images are beautiful and executed again with great care.