Tess Ayano

Tess Ayano is a Japanese-American photographer and director whose work beautifully bridges the cultural landscapes of Japan and the United States. Now residing between New York and Tokyo, Tess’s artistic journey began in her childhood in Japan before she transitioned to life in the United States during her teenage years. Tess honed her craft at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she delved into photography, darkroom techniques, and the philosophy of aesthetics. Following her studies, she enriched her understanding of photographic history as an archivist at the LIGHT Gallery in New York, meticulously curating a collection of 19th and 20th-century prints. Reflecting on this pivotal experience, she shares, “It was the best art/photo history education I received. LIGHT was the first gallery dedicated exclusively to contemporary photographers, and I draw endless inspiration from the works of masters like Andre Kertesz, Paul Strand, Emmet Gowin, and Alfred Stieglitz.” At the heart of Tess’s work is a profound exploration of life’s transitory nature, a theme deeply embedded in Japanese culture and philosophy. She seeks to capture intimate vignettes of quiet, ordinary moments, stating, “I find impermanence beautifully melancholic. Photographs allow me to notice and revisit the fleeting stories that shape our lives.” With a keen fascination for people, she believes there will always be compelling subjects to photograph. Her portraits reveal a remarkable ability to foster trust and openness, allowing her subjects to feel completely at ease in front of her lens. This skill is celebrated in her ongoing personal project, "Japanese New Yorkers," a portrait and film series that highlights the lives and experiences of Japanese and Japanese-Americans living in New York. Through her lens, Tess invites viewers into a world rich with narrative and emotion, underscoring the beauty of shared human experiences.